A G Engraved Diary
by Kinnetik Ishisu
Summary: A boy and his diary. A girl and her crazy friends changing the boy's life whether he notices it or not. Featuring the crazy nurse Elli, Angela the insightful/always-in-troubles farmer and Gill, who wants to conquer the world. Or Waffle Town. Or Angela...
1. The red and green notebook

Hello! Kinnetik_Ishisu here contributing to the Harvest Moon fandom! Here I present this Gill x Angela oneshot narrated from the granddaughter's point of view. After this one, the story will really begin. Enjoy!

Pd. There are **slight spoilers** about the newest Harvest Moon Waku Waku Animal March. I haven't played it but I've seen some vids that inspired the spoilers.

**Thanks for reading and please review! :D**_  
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**A "G" Engraved Diary**

The day I moved to Harmonica town, I lost my grandfather's diary.

No, perhaps I should go further back. Way back…

***

I was 12 when I met my grandfather for the first time; my parents had eloped because my grandfather disapproved my father's choice for a bride. Years later, when mom died, grandma finally convinced him to come and meet me. And that's where all began:

"Prepare yourself, kiddo. Today, you are going to meet grandpa and grandma!" father said a month after mom's funeral. He looked happy; the happiest he had been since mom…

"Why now?" I asked defiantly while I smoothed the wrinkles of my black dress. "I have been around for 12 years now. And I have everyone I need here in our town."

"Grandpa and Grandma live in a place called Waffle Town, where I lived until I turned 18 and came here. Now that I think about it, our town is not so different from Waffle Town. We even have a crazy, chubby mayor and all, ha, ha, ha!" He laughed while dusting his shirt, totally ignoring my remark. Then, he grabbed my shoulders gently and looked me in the eye, "Do this for me, please? I really want you to meet them and get to know them. Please?"

Being as weak as I was to my father's pleadings, I found myself opening the door and welcoming an old couple into our house later that evening. The woman was all smiles, kind of short, with rosy cheeks, short white hair and small wrinkles in the corners of her mouth. The man was a bit shorter than dad, stern looking, with wrinkles on his forehead and a funny cowlick in his gray hair. While dad and the woman embraced happily, the stern man looked at me with cold blue eyes. '_Yes...,_' I thought bitterly, returning the cold stare with my own blue gaze. '_I have dad's brown hair_ _but_ _I'm still the spitting image of my mother so go ahead and say something mean about it , make my day…_' Yes, I had seen a lot of Clint Eastwood's movies…

After that day, Grandma Angela dragged Grandpa Gill to visit us almost every day. While Grandma helped dad to tend our fields (It was Summer, the busiest season), I had fun dragging Grandpa around to help me with my chores, knowing he was suffering horribly by being forced to spend time with me. One day however, I fell from one of our trees trying to cheat the bees into giving me honey, breaking my leg in the process. The bees of course decided to join the punishment, stung me all over and had me crying and screaming before I could finish saying 'honey'.

"Ginevra !!" someone shouted over my panicked shrieks. With difficulty, I saw Grandma and Dad throwing their watering cans away and hurrying over. But it was Grandpa who threw his vest over me and shielded me with his body until Dad and Grandma could scare the bees away.

The doctor kept Grandpa and I in the clinic for a week, in which Grandpa read "The Three Musketeers" for me.

"A proper citizen and especially a lady should know about classic literature. Since I failed to hammer it into your brains, Alistair and Angela, I must make sure that at least my granddaughter continues the noble traditions of readers the Hammilton family has always had" Grandpa said when Dad and Grandma asked him why he didn't read normal bedtime stories to me.

*******

The last night we were in the clinic, I woke up while Dad and Grandpa were talking. I don't know why, but I felt I didn't have to interrupt the conversation so I pretended to be still asleep.

"It's nice to see how well Ginevra has been raised. But it shouldn't surprise me; you always had your mother's patience and character, suitable for children." Grandpa said quietly.

"Thanks Dad, but I also learned a lot of things from you and I have been able to teach Ginevra many of the things you taught me. Also, Kotoko used to say that she was –or is- very much like you. She even wants to be mayor some day, ha, ha." Dad replied.

"Oh, interesting!" Grandpa laughed, "The evening after we first met, your mom kept saying: _She had the very same look of back when I first met you, cold and angry…And mayorish!_ After some thought, I knew she was right. After all, I had lost my own mother not long before your mother arrived to Waffle Town and my reflection in the mirror had the same defiance. "

"Ginevra is a very intelligent child and even if she weren't, it doesn't take much to figure that Kotoko and I were not in good terms with you and mom. Or at least with you. It's more loyalty than defiance, wouldn't you say?"

"Could be… Look, Alistair, I am not good with words son, as Angela has been reminding me ever since this conflict began. I didn't like the idea of you marrying Kotoko because I felt that she was too superficial and vain… She didn't even finish high school, for Goddess sake!"

"Dad..." Father said warningly.

"I know, I know, but let me finish. Now that I see my granddaughter, I know that I didn't make an honest effort to give Kotoko a chance. I see many of my own behaviors in your daughter, Alistair, and if Kotoko had been the mother I thought she would be, she would have discouraged those behaviors in her daughter. She would have taught her to hate me and that would have definitely created a tantrum in the night we met. Yet, that didn't happen. Kotoko and you have proved to be more capable parents than I have been so… I guess…my repentance is in order. Alistair, I'm sorry…" Grandpa finished.

After that, I heard a rustle of sheets. I peeked a bit and I saw my father embracing Grandpa. Dad was crying… And I fell asleep this time for real.

Dad and Grandpa reconciled, much to Grandma's relief. They were planning to stay a bit longer in our house but soon after the bees' incident, Grandpa and Grandma had to leave. Apparently, Waffle Town needed its mayor and star farmer back as soon as possible, or so a letter signed by some guy named Chase said. I was terribly sad, since Grandpa and I were very close now, but I bravely walked by Grandpa's side on our way to the harbor, where a guy named Pascal and his rusty-totally-insecure-looking ship was supposed to pick them up. Before he left, he took two notebooks out of his suitcase.

"Ginevra, these are for you," he said handing a green and a red notebook to me. I took them and noticed both had a golden "G" engraved on their covers. While the red one was new, the green one looked as if it had seen better days.

"What are these? I asked.

"The green one is my most precious diary. I started it a few months before I met your Grandma and kept it up until today, when I must say goodbye to you. The writing was never constant, but I feel it has all the details of my life before you. So you can get to know me, …if you want, that is." he explained while getting some of his gray hair out of his face in a huff.

"I very much want to," I smile while eyeing the treasures.

He beamed, hugged me really tight and kept on walking to the end of the dock where Dad and Grandma were waiting for him. _Alistair! Angela! Stop grinning like fools and get a hold on yourselves!_

*************

Eight years have passed since then. I arrived to Harmonica town yesterday and when I was about to read my favorite passage in Grandpa's diary (in the comfortable cushiness of my new sofa in my new house) I noticed –voilá- the elusive notebook had disappeared.

Panic. Panic was a mild word. If I lost that diary, I could very well say good bye to my life as I knew it. Grandpa would definitely drag me to Waffle Town, namely to Craig's farm and have me harvest turnips for the rest of my life! And stop detaining Luke's son from trying to court me (which will probably result in me being chopped to death when I refuse him, all planned by my devious Grandpa of course).

Ok, let's calm down. I've watched enough CSI. Let us go back to the crime scene. Or scenes… I searched everywhere: In the dock, by the shore, in the restaurant, at the library, by the bridge… Nothing….Damn CSI….

Finally, in front of the church, when I was about to begin crying and bemoaning my fate, a young, tanned man approached me. He had grayish hair with a weird braid on the left side of his head, a blue coat, white pants and some strange white tattoo under his right eye.

"Is this yours by any chance?" he said as he showed me the green notebook.

I shrieked happily and rapidly took it from his hands. "Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you and more thank you. You are a genius! A wizard! You may not know it but you have saved me from a terrible fate!"

He chuckled, bowed and began walking away.

"What's your name?!" I asked before he disappeared.

"You have found out my provisional name. The real one you will know soon enough, I daresay. Have a nice afternoon, miss…" he said and got lost in the horizon.

I stood in front of the church, thinking about what he said. _Mr. Genius? Mr. Wizard?, oh well, I'll figure it out later. In the meantime, let's go home. I have an event worth of my first diary entry in the red notebook… Well, maybe after reading my favorite entry in Grandpa's green notebook:_

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_Fall 16, xxxx_

_I must really be careful about my diary. I shudder to think of what could have happened if it had fallen in evil *cough, cough, Luke's* hands, for example. Thankfully, Angela found it before anything happened. She told me it was behind the billboard in front of the Inn. Dangerous, really dangerous…_

_Anyway, Angela told me nobody had touched it and even she herself hadn't read it. If it were other than her, I wouldn't believe them, but Angela has something that makes me trust her. But I do __**not**__ have a crush on her like Elli suggests! That woman! She has made "getting Gill married" her personal mission! Me? A crush on a farmer like Angela? Preposterous! Anyways, she has a lot to choose from like that simpleton of Owen the blacksmith or that narcoleptic Toby, who are so disgustingly obvious in their affection for her, it makes me want to puke. However, as the future mayor of this town, I should advise her about her choices. She __**is**__ a very successful farmer after all, so many leeches may try to seduce her because of her money *cough, cough, Toby*. She should look for someone who has a position in the town, also a respectable job and the ability of helping her negotiate and such. Naturally, that someone should belong to a respectable family, of good breeding of course, not like certain half-crazed axe man with wood for a brain… _

_Yes, perhaps I should ask her out for lunch tomorrow and discuss about her job and the like. And also I should scold her for passing out so often in the mines! I had totally forgotten! Hmmm… I should make a list_

_Gill_

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**Thanks for reading and please review! :D**_  
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	2. Winter of the Green Notebook

Hello! Kinnetik_Ishisu here again!

The muses have been kind and I've managed to write something else about Gill's diary. It starts slow but you'll get action pretty soon, I daresay. Enjoy and **please review** if you have time **:D**

**And thanks to ** l-delancy for being my first reviewer. It meant a lot XD

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'The beginning of Grandpa's diary is somehow sad' Ginevra thought while she opened the green notebook.

**Winter 2nd, xxx0**

_Today is my birthday. Father gave me this diary to write on. Apparently, according to one friend of his who is a psychologist, this is therapy. Mother died two weeks ago today. That is why I supposedly need therapy although, sincerely, I don't know why, since people die all the time. It was just mother's turn after a long illness; even Jin looked relieved when he gave us the news…_

_Father is worried since I have not talked to him or anyone about my "feelings"; he is worried about how I am so quiet. I am afraid he has missed a quite a whole part of me growing up since I have always been quiet. It does not matter if you want to talk to others about your feelings because in the end, they will interrupt to talk about their own experiences and ask for advice. I have never been a good listener since I do not really care about other people's problems; somehow, I cannot seem to muster the will to care. Mother understood this and she did not pry when I had nothing to tell about school. She did not try to make me friends with the kids of the neighborhood because she knew I was –and am- way more intelligent than them. She accepted my quiet nature as best as she could. I will miss that, now that I think about it._

**_Gill_**

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**Winter 24th , xxx0**

_Tomorrow is the Starry Night Festival. Father has been busy preparing the event for everyone and nobody has considered in offering help but Anissa and Jin. In this town, people are always happy. No one would guess someone died but a few weeks ago. Fools…_

_Elli began working in the Town Hall earlier this week. She always brings tomato juice in her lunch and shares it with me. It is not bad and not good either; I am sure I can make it better._

_I wish Luna was still living here. Funny, I had not thought about her for a long time now. She was my first love. Her family moved from the Island when the businesses aside the ones of basic need –like general stores and clinics- began to decay. She was the only one whom I could trust with important matters and the one that would give me the only honest opinion about any plan that I had at the moment. She laughed when I gave her a bunny and told her I loved her right when her ship was about to go. She took the bunny with her…_

_Funny, it had almost stopped hurting…_

**_Gill_**

..................

**Winter 28th, xxx0**

_New Year's Eve. I have a flu. Stupid snow._

_Father keeps complaining about me working late in the Town Hall. I keep answering that the workers ideal behavior should be set by example: How can he expect to be ready for the Flower Festival on the 10__th__ of Spring if the stands and the flowers have not been taken care of by now? I keep telling Dale to pick up the pace with those stands the Town Hall commissioned him to build and he keeps laughing at me and telling me to not to worry. Ruth persists on using her never ending headaches as an excuse for not having finished the list of the flowers that are going to be sold. Why can't someone in this Goddess forsaken town can be responsible? We could attract tourists and possible newcomers from other parts if we managed to announce our activities with enough time in advance._

_Father is the Mayor! Yet he insinuates that I use work to escape from my problems! I would not have even half my problems if he behaved befitting of his position. However, he just goes around laughing and smiling as if nothing were the matter, as if no one had died. I just despise this attitude when the Island is falling apart; when the place where we lived together as a family is perishing and I receive help from no one…_

_But perhaps I should not have told him these things at dinner. After supper, he declared he forgot something at the Inn and went out._

_I could swear I heard a sob before he closed the door. But again, that could be my imagination. After all, who would want to stay in the same room with me? Who would sob at the brilliant opportunity of avoiding me?_

_I went to my room after cleaning up the kitchen. I managed to see a shooting star through the window while I was getting ready for bed. Mother once said that wishes made desperately to a shooting star definitely came true. I felt dumb and yet I wished for a way to save the Island and recover the lost happiness. I know, however, that these wishes will take more than just a shooting star. They will take a thousand shooting stars and a miracle..._

**_Gill_**

**_......._**

**_To be continued  
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	3. Spring of the Green Notebook

Hello, hello. Here I go again!

I'm really hoping you enjoy this chapter. Sorry for the lack of space between entries. I can't make the document be saved with the spaces I need. Again, sorry

Especial thanks to Yarbo for her kind review (assuming is a her, right XD)

And as usual, **please review :D**

**Pd. **The Shining rules....**  
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_**Spring 2**__**nd**__**, XXX1**_

_I think Father is not speaking to me, which is rather childish if you take into account that I apologized and presented tiredness as the reason of my insolent commentaries of two days ago. Father needs to grow up._

_I will commend Yolanda with a potato soup tomorrow and I will deliver it to Father's office later. It has always been Father's weak point and it will dissuade him from acting like a child._

_**Gill**_

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_**Spring 11**__**th**__**, XXX1**_

_Father is up to something… After the potato soup from that day, he has begun to speak to me again and but also spending abnormal time in his office. He has forbidden everyone to approach to the photocopying room (causing several inconvenient rows among the secretaries and Elli, whom Father entrusted to reinforce his ridiculous law. Note to self: Elli has an incredibly scary number of synonyms for the word prostitute) He has also, single handedly, managed to finish with the ink supplies for a month. This has also ended up in me heavily persuading that uncouth woman from the General Store –Barbara- into ordering more as soon as possible and paying the ridiculously expensive shipping prices she asks. _

_Elli and the other workers have begged me to find out what is that he is doing but the more I ask, the more he puts his so called mysterious smile (his words, not mine…) and locks himself in his office. When I caught him gleefully twirling around with a paper in his hand, I decided to let him be; hoping that whatever it was, was not hereditary…_

_**Gill**_

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_**Spring 15**__**th**__**, XXX1**_

_Father is insane. If he persists on his ways, I will be forced to consider building an asylum._

_Everything began today at breakfast, when I asked Father for his extra spring in his step. He smiled mysteriously again and showed me a paper. I scanned the document long enough to recognize it as a promotional brochure. A 'Waffle Island Paradise Extraordinaire' brochure… Here I paste a copy of the aberration…_

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ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A FRIENDLY PLACE?-- Hopefully yes… :D

ARE YOU READY FOR NEW AND EXCITING EXPERIENCES? -- Hopefully yes again… :D

IF SO, YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE IN **'WAFFLE ISLAND' **_**PARADISE EXTRAORDINAIRE**__!_

_BLESSED WITH AMAZING NATURE, FRIENDLY PEOPLE AND AN UNPARALLEILED LOCATION FOR DARING NEW FARMERS, THIS ISLAND HAS IT ALL!_

COME AND BE PART OF AN EVER GROWING PLACE! MAKE HISTORY WITH US!

*_Free lodging and housing for the first 5 people. Restrictions Apply*_

_*Contact Mayor Hammilton to the number 1-__**800-**_**WAFFLE ISLAND **_**PARADISE EXTRAORDINAIRE**__.*_

_*Call now! :D Not later! Go, go, go!*_

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"Father…_" I addressed him with infinite patience. After all, he __**is**__ getting older; maybe senility is setting in after all. "_This is not going to work, you know? No one is that dumb to come and live here. People in the neighboring islands well know about our precarious situation!_"_

"Yes, people in the neighboring islands know. That is why I faxed and mailed copies of this brochure to the city newspapers. I am sure we will be having tons of new people before the season is over! You just wait! " _he answered merrily as he walked out towards the Town Hall._

_I got up and went to my room to fetch my tie, knowing fully well how Father's brilliant plans turn out in the end. For example, the day he organized a fishing competition in open sea to attract new fishers: it worked all right, several pros came and totally humiliated our competitors and took all the prizes we hoped stayed at home. And we gained that living-dead guy Toby, who does nothing, contributes in nothing to the island and keeps trying to convince me to take naps with him. Oh, joy…_

_Of course, Goddess forbids I forget the time when he organized the contest in the mines! He forced me to participate in his stead, joining Luke, Owen and Bo, so that the first one to reach the 50__th__ floor and came up with a stupid Ore could win a prize. Bo did not manage to get below the 10__th__ floor; I did not go too far either, fainting in the 15__th__ floor; Luke and Owen competed until Luke triggered a poisonous gas trap, forcing them to flee at the 45__th__ floor. In the end, everybody ended up in the clinic: Bo and I totally exhausted, Owen and Luke with respiratory issues and Jin as pissed as I had never seen him before. _

_Let us hope that nobody gets hurt this time…_

_**Gill**_

_**........................................**_

_**Spring 18**__**th**__**, XXX1**_

_Father hovers around the phone like vulture over a corpse. Creepy but true. Every time the phone rings, he rushes downstairs to answer it even though Elli's desk is right next to it. She says he puts in his '1-800-I'm too-sexy-for-my-hat' voice every time he answers (her words, not mine). Yesterday, Maya and Kathy demanded to meet the owner of such voice. Oh, how I laughed at their shocked and embarrassed faces when I pointed to Father, who was talking by the phone at that very moment, ha, ha, ha… Elli said it was cruel. Make up your mind! She pesters me because I am too serious and when I laugh, I am cruel. Women, who gets them?_

_**Gill**_

_**........................................**_

_**Spring 19**__**th**__**, XXX1**_

_I do not believe what I am going to write, but… Father has actually succeeded in attracting someone new! Pray to your favorite saints because the world may end anytime now._

_In the last entry, I told you that I laughed at Maya and Kathy while Father was speaking by the phone. Apparently, a woman named Angela Blackmoon from the Eastern City read the ad in her local newspaper and wants to come here to be a farmer. How can anyone so gullible make it as a farmer is a mystery, though…_

_She arrives on the 23r__d__ and we are supposed to greet her in the harbor, but I am not going. Heaven knows I have a lot of things to organize and the girl will come by soon enough._

_Well, time to go to bed._

_**Gill**_

_**........................................**_

_**Spring 21**__**st**__**, XXX1**_

_Father is like a child, have I mentioned that already? Well, it is worth to mention again. He has been going from the Inn to Craig's farm to Dale's to the Town Hall constantly for the whole day. He wants everything to be sparkling ready as soon as that 'farmer' arrives. And I have had to deal with __**his **__job, which turned out to be more difficult than I had anticipated. Thus, the fact has made me respect Father at a whole new level. Why? Take a look. _

_Problem 1- 8 a.m. Barbara wants to divorce Simon. Solution: I handed her the divorce papers, told her where to sign and kept about my business. Resulting crisis: As Barbara was signing the papers, Elli comes in and takes them away from her. Barbara starts crying, asking for the papers back, Elli keeps them out of her reach while trying to convince her to talk to Simon about it (apparently Father does this every once in a while because of Barbara's tendency to overreact, which I knew nothing about!) Finally, Barbara accepts to go and talk to her husband, who is just outside the Town Hall, having been phoned beforehand by Elli. Finally, at 9:15 a.m, I was scolded by Father -when he came back for a minute- because I am supposed to show more people skills if I want to ever rule this town. Unfortunately, he is right…_

_Problem 2- 11 a.m. Cain arrives to the Town Hall to talk to my Father. He talks to me shortly afterwards. There has been, for a while, a large boulder rock blocking the pathway from his ranch towards the Ganache Mine District and he wanted to see if the Town Hall could send someone to remove it. It seems that it is a large inconvenient for their customers to border by the beach so they can get to their ranch and buy produce and consequently, it is harming their sales. I phoned Owen at the Blacksmith's and entrusted him the task, which he joyfully took. I told Cain that we would do everything we could but I could not promise success; that boulder is really big. He thanked me kindly and he left. _'Finally!' _I thought, '_A normal problem I can deal with'.

_Problem 3- 2:30 p.m. Ramsey called because Owen had not come back yet from the task I assigned him. I took my lunch break and walked by Craig's farm to ask if they had seen Owen (difficult not to…) when I spotted him still hammering the boulder. That fool had had surely been hammering ever since I called him; I ran to stop him but he collapsed before I could reach him. In the end, Craig and I carried him all the way to Jin's clinic while Anissa ran to tell Ramsey. Of course, Owen and I were scolded within an inch of our lives: he because of overexerting himself and I because of not foreseeing that the boulder needed special machinery. According to Father, who had been called to the clinic, I should have gone to assess the situation before calling somebody to fix it for me. Again, he was right._

_Father was called to the harbor not long after and I was left meandering my way to the Town Hall, feeling totally dumb. When I got to the Town Square, I took some time to sit under __the tree__ and bemoan my actions of the day; maybe I was not fit for public service after all. I closed my eyes trying to hold the frustration tears back when something hard nudged my cheek. I cracked one eye open and identified the hard object as a candy cane coming from a fair, female hand. I looked up and the owner of the hand was a girl about my age, with brown, short hair and a questioning look in her face._

"Are you ok?" _she asked. _"Are you hungry or something?"

"No, I am perfectly fine, thank you." _I answered and while I tried to stand up, my stomach roared embarrassingly. I kept trying to stand up nevertheless but a nausea wave pinned me down._

"See? I knew you weren't ok!" _she said when she saw me breathing rapidly to avoid vomiting. _"Here, don't be stubborn and take the candy! It has mint and it will prevent you puking on my shoes"

"Shut up! I don't need your mmpprh--"_ I tried to send her away but she shoved the candy in my mouth. After a few seconds, I began feeling much better and the girl sat by my side. I noticed she placed a brown suitcase next to her. _"Thank you"

"No problem. I always carry candy canes so parting from one or two is no tragedy. So what's got you all hot and bothered?" _the girl asked smiling mischievously._

"I beg your pardon?" _I could feel the blush burning my face._

"Sorry, ha, ha. I meant to ask about what happened to you. Because of the roaring of your stomach and the nausea, I can infer you haven't eaten in a while. And when a person doesn't eat either he or she is dieting or worrying about something. Looking at you, I take you're worried..."

_I examined her face for a long time as she waited my answer. _"I did not have time for breakfast today and because of...things... at work, I did not have lunch either. That is all."

_She examined me in return as she spoke. _"Bad things, I assume?"_ I nodded. She continued, _"Well, bad things are supposed to happen at some point. They are part of life."

"Yes, but... this was a time to prove myself that I could be in charge." _I said while nibbling the candy. _"It seems that I could not... I made grave mistakes today."

_She sighed, got up and looked at me._ "Hey, do you want to learn?"

"Learn what?"

"About your job of course. About how to be better when you are in charge."

"Why, yes, naturally!"

_She smiled as she put on her sunglasses. _"Then take notes about your mistakes and the ways you would have acted had you known what you know now. Talk to the people that are more experienced than you and don't try to shoulder up everything. It just makes the mistakes happen. You'll grow to the role you want eventually, since rushing in just ruins things."

_Yes, I had been rushing things over. _"How did you know?"

"I had been waiting for an opportunity changing my lifestyle for quite a while but only now I have gotten the means to make that happen. I failed before because I thought I could only depend on myself and because I wanted things that at the time I could not get. And I had the same expression that you have now. So cheer up! If I could do it, so can you. You look way smarter than me." _Finally, she began walking towards the Town Hall. I caught up with her at the door._

"What is your business at the Town Hall?"

"Is it here where you work? Would you mind telling me where Gill Hammilton's office is? Apparently, I need to see this guy and fill out some forms...He is the Mayor's son, so I must really behave, ha ha" she said while flattening her cowlick without success.

_I smiled. _"Follow me, then"

_We entered the Town Hall and I waved at Elli, who looked quizzically at me and my companion. I rounded the counter, sat on the chair behind my desk and began taking out forms. The girl pouted at me: _"Weren't you going to take me to this Gill's office?

"And I did, although this is not an office strictly speaking." _I stood up and extended my hand. _"Good afternoon, my name is Gill Hammilton, Waffle Island's Town Hall Administrator. How may I assist you?"

_The girl flushed, evidently embarrassed at having been so familiar to me but a few minutes ago. However, she laughed, placed her left hand behind her head and extended her right to mine. _"Ha, ha, ha. I shoved a candy cane in the Mayor's son's mouth...Damn... Oh, well, my name is Angela Blackmoon, the new farmer..."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Blackmoon. Please, fill out the following forms in triplicate and hand them to me so I can check them. Afterwards take a sit and I am sure my father will be here shortly to tell you where you should go."

_Angela grimaced when I handed her the bunch of papers and went to fill them out next to Elli's desk, easily striking up conversation within a few minutes. Father arrived half hour later and carried Angela's suitcase to the Inn, followed closely by its owner, who arrived a two whole days before expected. _

_A retraction is in order then, I do not think this farmer can be defined as gullible._

_**Gill**_

_**........................................**_

_**Spring 28**__**th**__**, XXX1**_

_Angela came by early in the morning to inscribe her farm. She came along with Toby (although how she got him to accompany her instead of sleeping is, again, beyond me)._

"Hey, you! Hello!"_ she waved as she entered. Toby yawned._

"My name is Gill. I would rather you use it, Ms. Blackmoon." _I said while classifying some folders._

"Then you can call me Angela instead of Ms. Blackmoon. Awfully formal, don't you think?"

"I will take it into consideration. In the meantime, what can I help you with?"_ Somehow I felt uncomfortable being so familiar around Toby and the newly arrived Elli._

_She looked miffed for a brief second and her look became a bit cold._ "Suit yourself then, sir. I came to inscribe my farm on the records."

_I got her file from the shelf and uncapped my pen. _"Name?"

"Gondor Farm!"_ answered the girl cheerfully._

"Like Lord of the Rings Gondor?"

"Exactly! I knew somebody must have read the books! See Toby, I told you it **would** be recognized! "

"It's dorky, Angie..." _the white haired guy muttered from behind her._

"No, it's not! Gill, tell him!" _she urged me._

"No, Toby, the name is not dorky..." _Oh, patience, thy name must be Gill._

"Gill, tell her that you recognized it only because of the movies and it is not good for a farm"_ Toby said while he closed his eyes._

"Ms. Blackmoon, I only recognized the name because of the movies and it is not good for a farm."

"Who's side are you on!?" _Angela demanded placing her hand on her hips._

"The side that will get me the form filled out the fastest"_ I informed her in a monotonous tone._

"Sorry, sorry. The name is Gondor Farm then. And stop rolling your eyes Toby!"

"Ok. So, focus of your farm?"

"Focus? Fruits and vegetables, no?" _she said._

"Are you going to raise animals?"

"Eventually, yes"

"Multiple then."_ I scribbled while Toby sat on one of the chairs. When he finished, the multiple focused Gondor Farm was recorded in the Caramel District area and was given the pertinent documents. Angela and Toby made fishing plans to celebrate and while she invited me to go, the sour look on Toby's face dissuaded me. It was obvious he wanted to go exclusively with her. _

"You should have gone with them!" _Elli said. _"There's not too much work right now and you could have taken a bit more of your lunch hour."

"I still have work to do. These documents will not be signed by themselves."

" 'All work and no play makes Gill a dull boy' " _Elli grinned eerily. She knows I hate horror movies and 'The Shining' is the one I hate the most._

"That is just so mature, Elli. Stop it!"

" All work and no play makes Gill a dull boy, all work and no play makes Gill a dull boy, all work and no play makes Gill a dull boy..." _she repeated over and over while dancing around my desk._

_I covered my ears with my hands and closed my eyes. _"I am not listening! I am not listening!"

"Yes you are and you know it! If you do not want me to type the phrase over and over in multiple papers, leaving them on your desk when you least expect it, you will go to Caramel Falls right now!"_ she threatened sickeningly. _

"One of these days, Elli... One of these days..."

_Needless to say, I sprinted out of the Town Hall to fetch my long abandoned fishing rod. Cursing Elli and my childish fear, I walked towards Caramel Falls._

_Hmmm, I'm sleepy. I'll continue tomorrow..._

_**Gill**_

_***********************************************************************************************************_

_**To be continued  
**_


	4. Spring still of the Green Notebook

Hello! I'm back again with a new chapter dedicated to Yarbo for her reviews :D

This chapter is kind of strange and I blame entirely Pride and Prejudice and Con Air. Don't ask XP

And I know Caramel Falls is not dangerous in the game, but if the Island is in chaos, I believed it can be justified.

Anyways, enjoy and **please review** :P

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**Summer 1****st**** , XXX1**

_Now I will continue my account of my trip to Caramel Falls yesterday, writing from the chair next to Angela's bed in the clinic. It did not take me long to arrive to Caramel District and I was able to make out Owen's huge profile in the distance, equipped also with a fishing rod (which was in way better condition than the one I had, if the rust in mine is any indication...)_

_As soon as I rounded the corner, I saw a moderate gathering of people together with Angela: Toby (of course, being Waffle Island's unofficial Fishing King), the newly arrived Owen, Anissa, Luke and Bo; all whom –except Anissa-I do not speak to in regular basis. Note to self: Angela's speed to make acquaintances is impressive. She could very well become my rival for the Mayor's candidature in the future…_

_Once I got into the hearing range, I realized they were talking about me. I hid behind a rock, so as to keep listening without been discovered. I had never caught people speaking about me before; I was naturally curious._

"Well, Bo, I've liked everyone I've met so far. They go to the extremes: lively as Maya, cheery as the Mayor, teasing as the old bat Craig (sorry Anissa) and even serious as Gill. People here seem interesting."_ Angela said while preparing her rod._

"Gill needs more naps. I've been telling him that ever since I met him._" Toby said, putting some bait on his hook._

"He just works too much. He is as young as most of us and he doesn't even take one day off. How can he live like that?" Luke scoffed as he chased his squirming bait.

"Gill is the Mayor's son, possibly the next Mayor. Of course he cannot take things easy!" Anissa stated softly.

"Yeah, but I mean, like… He doesn't even take time to speak to us, for example! We are neighbors after all! " _continued Luke, pointing at Bo, Owen and himself. _"The last time I saw him speaking to Owen was about a week ago and only because he fainted!"

"I did NOT faint Luke! How many times have I told you!" Owen boomed, reddening under Angela and Anissa's giggles.

"Ok, ok, _collapsed_ or whatever. My point is that sincerely, before that, how many times Gill has ever spoken to you?" _the blue haired boy replied._ "He only spoke to you cause he felt guilty he didn't look into the info about that rock before he sent you to smash it. That's all I'm saying."

"You say this happened a week ago, Luke?" _Angela asked with a thoughtful expression. "_Was it the day I got here?"

"Yeah, I think so. Yep, yep, it was, cause earlier he also had some troubles with Barbara and her monthly divorce papers. Geez, everyone knows Barbara will never set Simon free and yet he goes and gives her the papers and all…_" Luke finished, retelling the whole story of my fiasco-day to the new farmer._

_After the tale, everyone began fishing in earnest and Bo timidly spoke: _"Well, you know, I would have done the same. I…mean… if I were in his position, that is…"

"Bo is right," _Angela added. "_ I don't know the details but you have to admit it's a little childish to threat with divorce over and over again. Especially when the whole town knows it won't happen. If I were in Gill's position, I would have done the same, forcing her to make good of her threat and be done with it."

"Yeah, but that's the way things are here, ever since gramps days." _Owen said. Anissa, Luke and Bo assented, agreeing with Owen._

"Sorry if this is blunt to you people, but you are the ones who will be living here long after your folks are gone. Me too, if I manage to succeed with my farm. So, why to hang unto things from the past that are no good? For instance, if Barbara were called into her bluff by the Town Hall workers, she wouldn't try to divorce again without meaning it, so they would get rid of a nuisance. Then, if Gill doesn't talk to you, why don't you talk to him? I firmly believe in perseverance!" _said Angela while fighting with the fish hooked on her rod._

"We try Angie…" _said Toby drowsily, rising to help her. "_But in Gill's case, for example, you've seen how he is. We invited him and he didn't want to come today. We cannot befriend someone who doesn't want to be befriended."

"You give up at the first try" _Angela said while she waved Toby off and battled more vigorously with the fish. _ "I am sure that if we try hard enough, we can…_ugghhh…_ we can all be friends…"

"Spoken like a true city girl, ha ha ha. Emm…Angie, are you alright with that line?" _Luke asked_ _as_ the farmer struggled.

"I…am….fine! Grrr… This… fish…won't…escape…its fate! You will be…my dinner!"_ Angela muttered as she buried her heels on the dirt to gain purchase and kept pulling. _"But if you want to…grrr…help me catching Moby Dick, I won't mind…"

_As one, Owen, Luke and Toby approached and began pulling with her. Anissa and Bo grabbed her waist and pulled as well. Toby looked worried: "_Angela, let it go! Your fishing rod won't resist the pull of the fish and the strength of the waterfall!"

"Never!"_ she exclaimed with conviction. _"Call me Ishmael, muahahahaha…"

"Goddess, we've lost her…" _Luke murmured as he pulled_; _Anissa, Bo and Owen laughed while doing the same._

_I watched as the line tensed as far as it would go; if it broke, they would all go backwards and there would be an accident. I had to warn them.  
_

"Angela and everyone! Stop pulling right now! It's dangerous! Let it go!" _I said as I ran to them. Everyone whirled their heads in surprise at my arrival._

"Gill! You came!" _Angela squealed my name, losing her footing in the process._

"_A_ngie, watch out!!!" _Toby cried as everyone plummeted into the river in a mess of bandanas, boots; white, brown, blond, red and blue hair. Angela and Luke were the ones with the worse part because they hit the rocks when they were dragged by the stream._

_I watched as Toby emerged with Anissa in his left arm and Bo in his right. Owen appeared not long after but Luke and Angela were nowhere to be seen. I dove into the river to look for them, fighting against the powerful current. I saw Owen to my right, diving even deeper, towards a blue blotch at the bottom of the river. '_Luke!'_ I thought, swimming behind Owen, reaching the unconscious ax man. Grabbing his right arm as Owen seized his left, we hauled him to the surface, where Bo helped us pull him up to the land. _

"Where're Anissa, Toby and Angela?" _Owen asked while getting out of the water._

"Anissa ran to bring Doctor Jin and Toby is underwater, still looking for Angela!" _Bo said while Luke regained consciousness and puked a lot of water. As Toby came up for air, Owen and I dove once more to look for the farmer._

'Come on, Angela, where are you?' _I thought as I frantically searched everywhere. Owen pulled my sleeve and drew my attention to a shiny object to our right. Angela's fishing rod was glistening, so its owner couldn't be that far away. We swam some more and Toby joined us, spotting Angela a bit further, struggling against a rock that had her left leg trapped. We sped up while Angela mouthed the word 'Help' and lost vital air in the process. Owen and Toby began yanking her up as I tried to free her leg, noticing that her foot was in some kind of hole, blocked by the rock. When I saw Angela's pained face I realized that if we wanted to free her, we had to get rid of the rock first or we would break her leg. Immediately, I signaled the men to stop and go to the surface, under the girl's panicked look. _

"She's way too trapped! What do we do?" _Toby said while we all breathed deeply._

"We need to get rid of the rock trapping her foot. Owen, Toby, look for a strong branch or something to lever the rock out of the way."

"And what are you going to do?" _Owen asked as got closer to the shore._

"I'm going to try to keep her alive"_ And having said that, I grabbed as much air as I could and dove right back in._

_I swam a little and found Angela trying to release her foot desperately; she looked at me and mouthed help again. I gestured her to calm down but then she shut her eyes and grabbed her throat; she was drowning…_

_What to do? _

_What to do?_

_The only thing I could think of was something I read in a story once and praying the Goddess it worked, I kissed Angela._

_ No, no, no, no, not really _kissed!_ I was trying to get her to breathe some of the air I had left. Neither very sanitary nor clean I know, but effective, as I felt her breathing in. Once I was sure it was working, I went up to get some air and kissed her again, repeating the process. Not long after, Owen splashed around us with a sturdy branch and levered the blasted rock out of the way. Quickly, Toby and I held Angela and hauled her up the surface, where she began coughing uncontrollably. Soon after, we were all dragged to the shore by half the town, alerted by Anissa. And that's how Luke, Akari, Toby, Owen and I ended up in the clinic, under Jin's hawk eyes._

_***********_

_ During the day, Angela and Luke have been going on and off from consciousness. Owen was released earlier in the morning and Toby managed to cleverly escape through the bathroom's window, much to Jin's chagrin. It goes without saying that I was held "prisoner" under Irene's watchful eye._

"Your father will have my hide if you leave this place anything but 100% healthy! But I think that you'll be able to go tomorrow" _she explained while she checked my pulse. After a few recommendations, I was allowed to go back to my shared room, where I found Angela awake and sitting on her bed._

"How are you feeling?" _I asked as she motioned me to get closer. I sat on the chair by her bed._

"Alive, thanks to you"_ she said as she bowed her head to me._

_I responded in kind. "_Owen levered the rock away and Toby located you. They are the heroes of the day."

"Yes, they did. But if you hadn't given me air while waiting to be rescued, their actions wouldn't have mattered. I'm...I'm in your debt…" _she replied quietly._

"I did what I had to do. You owe me nothing." _I finished while getting up to my own bed_. _However, I noticed her face was red, much like mine when I have fever. _"Hey, you seem flushed, are you ok?"

_I placed my palm on her forehead and she went even redder while squeaking a '_Yes, I'm ok!'

"Perhaps I should go and fetch Irene…" _I said as I withdrew my hand._

"No, no, no…" _She hurriedly grabbed my hand again. "_I'm fine, I tell you!"

"Then you must rest; you seem in the verge of catching a cold. Your face is almost scarlet!"

"Can you stay with me at least until I fall asleep? My…my father…yes…he used to do that when I was sick…" _she asked, not releasing my hand._

_I accepted: she smiled and snuggled under the covers while I made myself comfortable on the chair. A few minutes later, Angela was fast asleep. Perhaps I will continue to call her Angela, for simplicity sake if anything._

_**Gill**_


	5. The Summer of the Tomato Juice

Hello, hello. Here's another chapter! I hope you like it cause I got stuck in the middle and I couldn't finish it until recently.

My many thanks as usual to Yarbo --faithful reviewer, I-delancy--faithful reader and my newest reviewers Faith121897, Ds...Ps, Ravenclaw53 and 10Join-Fei.

So, without further ado, the chapter

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_**Summer 16**__**th**__** , XXX1**_

_At the beginning of the day, I thought I would be able to successfully write that this had been a quiet and calm day: Elli and father would play chess, I would take care of the official documents and Angela would swing by to deliver tomato juice to everyone as usual. Thinking about it, as much as I love tomato juice, I should tell her that father abhors it and normally waits for her to go so he can place it on my desk. She would have much better luck with potato soup. _

_However, it was too soon to reach that conclusion…_

……_._

_At midday, while Elli was on her lunch hour, all Waffle Island decided to visit the Town Hall. Maya wanted to update her preferences in her file; Craig came for a list of permitted plants in the Island (he keeps hoping we'll permit Venus Fly-Traps); Ramsey came for a authorization for Owen to dig deeper into the mines; Dale came because Father had called him to fix his desk and Jin came to inquire after some medicines that the Town Hall had to research about before ordering them. Of course, all of these spelled pure and unadultered chaos._

_Thankfully, while I was preventing Maya from ruining my perfect alphabetical classification, Angela arrived. Apparently, while buying tomato juice for everyone again, she had met Elli. Talking about money and such, my coworker told the farmer there was a part-time opening at the Town Hall._

"There is one, if you want to start right now!" _I said. I really needed help or I was bound to make mistakes like the ones in Spring._

"Sure! Just tell me what to do," _she stated as she took off her gloves. I noticed there were cuts in her hands but Craig's voice reclaimed my presence._

"Deal with Maya and prevent her from disarraying the villagers' files. Go to the library on the 2nd floor, bring the files on Vicodin, Vioxx, Respitrol , Rhumatol and Alexin and hand them over to Jin. Finally, phone Father to the Sundae Inn and tell him that Dale is here, ok?"

"Help Maya, get Jin's files and phone the Mayor. Got it!" _she smiled and went over her tasks. I left to deal with Craig and Owen while Jin, Maya and Dale went over to Angela. _

_An hour later, when Elli came, there was not much left to do but getting some files back to the shelves and begin stamping and signing the permits to remove the root that divides Caramel District from the Ganache Mine once and for all. Father was going to throw a fit but Angela, the people at the Blacksmith's and even Luke at the Carpentry thought it was time to clear that path. Progress was not going to happen all by itself._

……………………………………

_In the evening, as I was signing the last permits, I noticed some red spots in the documents -which at first I mistook by ink blotches. However, as I realized that my pen's ink and the stamp's one were blue, I went upstairs to ask Angela about the marks, since she was the one stamping the documents. Once I got to the library on the second floor, I watched how she wiped her right hand's fingers onto her coat, leaving the same red spots on it._

"Angela, are your fingers bleeding?"_ I asked as I approached, remembering the cuts I saw earlier when she took her gloves off._

"Oh, hi Gill! Just a little, cause I've been using them without the gloves. Normally when I get a cut, I place a band-aid and continue working, but I ran out of them today…" s_he smiled as she hid her right hand behind her head. She tends to do that a lot, as I have noticed recently._

"Come with me. We have to stop the bleeding unless I want to scare off everyone when I hand them permits covered with your blood." _I said while I went to the storage room down the hall and looked for the first-aid kit. Angela followed shortly, sat on a box next to the door and watched apprehensively as I soaked a cotton ball in alcohol. _

"That is not going to hurt, now, will it?"_ she asked as I came closer._

"It will sting and since you have cuts in most of your fingers, it will obviously hurt. This will teach you, however, to not to leave wounds unattended,"_ I replied as I took her hand. "_But I promise it'll be quick."

_I took her hand and began rubbing the cotton against the cuts, earning a loud 'Yow' from her as she yanked her hand off my grasp._

"Sting? Sting? That is murder, I tell you!" she screeched as she backed out of the room.

"Oh, come back here Angela! Don't be so dramatic! Let me disinfect and bandage the cuts so we can get back to work!" _I_ _frowned as I inched closer. Angela shook her head and fled in childish panic down the hall; little did she know that I was a track star back in high school. Speed running was the only physical activity in which I could outshine the rest of the kids and it even helped me to go the Eastern City University, majoring in Politics with a sports scholarship. So, of course, I chased the farmer down the hall._

_After a pursuit very much like the Scooby Doo ones, we ended up in the library again. Angela was on one side of the table and I was on the other, circling it like preschoolers._

"Angela…" _I warned, losing my patience. "_I needto cure your hand so you can finish stamping the documents and I can finish signing them, preferably in the next 30 minutes so we can go to our respective homes and rest for tomorrow._"_

"Gill…"_she imitated my tone, although a little breathless._ "I will cure myself when I get home with something that doesn't sting me to death. So let me continue working or get out of my way so I can go. I have an appointment!"

"Give me your hand…"

"Hell no!"

"Angela…"

"Read my lips: NO WAY!"_ she huffed, as she turned her head to the left. _

_Seizing the opportunity as she huffed, I climbed over the table and grabbed her right arm in a flash. She struggled in surprise and we both fell on the floor; me on top of her. Triumphantly, I locked her right arm over her head and continued disinfecting the wounds._

"Ow! Gill, are you finished?! It hurts! And you're heavy!" _she complained._

"It won't be long now. And I'm **not** heavy! And stop struggling, will you? It only makes it more difficult for me to finish!" _I replied while rubbing the cotton in the last of the wounds. But then, I heard a shout and I was unceremoniously shoved out of the way to a wall. I think I kind of lost consciousness for some minutes. _

………………

_When I finally woke up, something was stinging my head: Angela had an alcohol-soaked cotton against its left side._

"It does sting…" _I moaned while trying to remember what happened._

"Gill, man, I am so sorry!" _Owen's voice apologized from my left._ "I was just coming to get Angie and then I heard…"

"You have a dirty mind, Owen…"_Elli teased to my right. _"Who would have thought it?"

"Elli, please, it was a misunderstanding!"_ Angela said while going red. I still didn't get what were they talking about._

"Of course, it was comprehensible. I mean, you are a woman, Gill is a man, you were together and saying those things…"

"Elli!!" _Owen and Angela shouted, both blushing. _

"Please… Don't yell…"

"Oh, sorry Gill…" _said Angela while getting some bandages out of the first-aid kit. However, Elli took them from her hands and waved her off, smiling. _

"Go, Angie, I'll finish over here with Gill. Otherwise your date with Owen will be ruined."

"We're going to have some drinks at the bar, that's all!" _she hurriedly said. "_But is it really ok? I mean, I don't mind staying overtime so we can finish stamping the documents and all…" _the farmer stated while Owen sulked slightly._

"Go Angela, we still have tomorrow. Besides, you need to tend your farm before coming here to help and that is going to demand you being up early."_ I said just as Elli offered me her arm to stand up from the floor._

"But…"

"Come on Angie, you heard the man!" _Owen boomed while he took her arm and pulled her outside. _"And sorry again, man!" _he called as they left._

"No problem…"_ I said as I sat on a chair, lolled my head back and closed my eyes. I heard as Elli went and closed the library door and sat in the chair next to mine._

"Is it truly no problem, Gill?"_ she said after a while._

"What are you talking about? The permits can very well be finished tomorrow if we work hard enough."

"Surely, but is it truly no problem to you that Angela is out on a date with Owen?" _Elli pressed. _

"She said they were going only for some drinks, that's all, if I recall correctly over this monstrous headache. Much as mother, father, you and I used to do when mother was alive, remember?" _I said while massaging my head. Damn Owen, he is far too strong._

" Yes, I do remember. But that's not how Owen sees it. Everyone can tell he really likes Angie!"

"And that has to do with me, how?"

"She doesn't like Owen! She likes you! Or else why would she swing by every day -after her **very** tiresome chores- to bring you tomato juice?" _Elli stated as she pounded the table slightly. _"She was really worried when Owen knocked you out of cold!"

"As she should have been! Her friend thought I was a pervert –now that I analyze what he could have thought- while I was only trying to disinfect her hand so we could get back to work. Besides, she brings tomato juice to **everyone**, not only me. Goddess, Elli, lay down those Danielle Steel novels…" _I smirked. _

"Your father hates tomato juice, you know that! And she has noticed this due to the mayor's pained smile every time she hands him a glass of the concoction. And she has asked me which my favorite drink is but given that strawberries are not sown in this island, she brings the next best thing. She tries to dissimulate her more than obvious crush on you by bringing everyone juice. However, since the only psycho tomato lover over here is Gill Hammilton, she is failing miserably!"

"Funny, Luna used to say the very same thing, ha ha ha."

"Yes, but Luna didn't go out of her way to bring tomato juice for you every day, did she? Also Luna didn't spend her nights working the graveyard shift at the bar so she could get enough money to buy you tomato juice, the most expensive drink in this Goddess forsaken Island."_ Elli said accusingly as I frowned._

"That was a low blow, Elli… You know how I feel about Luna! And anyways, if she sooooo likes me, why is she with Owen, huh? Explain the flaw on your brilliant theory if you can!" _I spitted as she got up._

"Farming is not going as well as she pretends, you know? Owen is a good man, he helped her that time in the river and he helps her now with what she doesn't know about mining. He has also interceded with Ramsey so she could also get a part-time job with them. Tomato seeds among the ones she plants are not that cheap, so she needs more money. It's quite obvious that she couldn't keep refusing his invitations, not if she wanted to be polite."

_I sat there, digesting the information. While I could go and buy the expensive tomato juice and all the things I could want, I didn't imagine that the cheery farmer was going through difficult times. As Elli reached the door, she added one last thing:_

"Gill, I know that you care about Luna. I know that perhaps you love her still. But… but she is not here anymore! Perhaps she is not coming back **ever**! Here you have a nice woman, working her ass off for you, so you respect and acknowledge her. She is the only one aside from you who shows that much enthusiasm to revive the island; she asks about quilts, sprite fairies and the Harvest Goddess to everyone –including you- so she can do something. Think about that, please?"

_And with that, she said farewell and left for the day. _

_Was it really no problem for me to watch Angela and Owen?_

_Was it really?_

_...  
_

**Gill**


	6. Elli's Summer Reminiscence

Hello, Kinnetik_Ishisu with another chapter!

This one is kind of angsty, but since the next chapter is going to involve Elli in a certain way, I felt I needed to tell you a bit of her background before she arrived to Waffle Town. Elli is always the quiet one and all but I sincerely don't think any woman of her age (or the age she looks for me, anyways) could really be like that. That's why my Elli is the way she is.

Hopefully, you readers would have played HM: More Friends of Mineral Town, so you don't get lost when I tell her background. ;P

And don't despair, Angela and Gill action will be coming in the next chapter, which is almost finished. XD

My usual thanks to my reviewers, among them Yarbo, Ravenclaw 53 and the newest addition to them, Mes Petits Chous.

So, enjoy

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That day had went and finished as usual. Angela had come early in the morning with her tomato juice, much to Gill's delight as the Mayor and I's chagrin, and left soon after to do some mining. At the end of the day, Gill escorted me to my humble abode and with a tired '_Good night, Elli ', _he made way to his house.

I took a bath, changed into my nightgown and went to drink some hot milk before bed. Having brushed my teeth, I was ready for bed. I checked the calendar next to my bed, noticing today was the 20th day of Summer. _Well Elli, you have been living officially in Waffle Town for 10 years. Ha, ha, ha, and your friends thought you wouldn't last a week... _

As I got under the covers, I reminisced about the events that led me here. When I moved to Waffle Island 10 years ago, I must admit I was escaping. I used to live in a farming place called Mineral Town with my grandma and my younger brother Stu. I was a very shy nurse, you know? I worked in the local clinic where I assisted Doctor Trent when I could. I was 18 at the time and very much in love with the said doctor; heck, I even lived in the clinic instead of my Grandma's so I could assist him whenever he called. Talk about puppy devotion…

The Doctor was very gentle although kind of antisocial, but that only made me love him even more and since I was the only one he was really friendly towards, I sincerely believed that one day we would be married. But I woke up from my juvenile fantasy when a girl called Claire inherited the farm south the town. She was prone to fainting because of exhaustion, you know? I guess she was very determined to make her little (and very run-down) farm, prosper. It was that determination that made me admire her and soon we became best friends. She, somehow, even managed to befriend the Doctor; we became like the Three Musketeers… and that would become my downfall in the long run.

…………..

Claire was short, blond, lively and upbeat. The farmer was also outgoing to a boot and very blunt, which scared me sometimes. We both liked strawberries, gossip, dances, teasing Stu and all. She was like another grandchild to Grandma and another big sister to Stu; we were very much alike. We were so alike, we even fell for the same man. Neither of us spoke about it, because we both knew it was a topic in which neither of us could back off: I had loved the doctor forever and ever since she saw him, she had loved him as well.

Even though I loved the doctor, I knew I couldn't tell him my feelings; I couldn't bear to hurt my friend if he –by some miracle- accepted me instead of her. However, Claire did not share my apprehensiveness. As soon as she knew that the Doctor somewhat preferred her over me, she began to woo him behind my back. And I cannot blame her; we had both being dreading the confrontation.

In the end, when she fainted once more in late Winter, the Doctor's overly concerned face gave their relationship away. It was as if someone had removed the veil from my eyes and exposed the truth I didn't want to see. Claire finally realized in that moment that I had taken in the scene for what it really was, not the classical doctor-patient interaction, and I saw fear in her eyes. I went home that night and under the supportive look of my grandmother, I locked myself in my old room. Even Stu didn't dare to disturb me. Goddess, had everybody known all along but me? I was such a fool…

During the following days, I came up with so many excuses for not wanting to see Claire or going to the clinic that even I was amused. Flu, allergy, Spring cleaning, taking care of Grandma or Stu; I told so many lies… I hated Claire, from the bottom of my heart. She came and stole what my heart wanted the most. I had always been shy, never as pretty as Karen nor as intelligent as Mary. Damn, I even wasn't a good cook like Ann! All I had was my devotion to the doctor and she had ripped it away from me. When I eventually got back to the clinic, I had to stand how they were close together, how she occupied a place that by right was supposed to be mine all along. I loathed her presence more than anyone's in the whole world and Claire, who had stopped seeking my friendship, had guessed what I hid behind my smiles and good manners. I had been loyal to our friendship as she stomped on it; she became the villain while I became an unwilling martyr and yet, she still had the prosperity and the family I always wanted. Jealousy, rage, hatred and sadness became my most dear companions in those dark days… And the Goddess –whom I had worshipped religiously until that moment- vanished from my life right then. As I told Father Carter in my last confession, I could not believe in a being that had let someone as innocent as I was, be converted into the wretched person I had become.

…………………

One night, as I was bitterly taking the road by the town square to go home, my future was laid before me. I always checked the announcement board, although I didn't know why, since up until then, there had been nothing that interested me. Soon, I heard Anne and Karen's voices coming from the beach, next to the town square. I did not wish to see any of my old friends and their pity looks towards me, so I hid behind the announcement board. To my dismay, the girls stopped right in front of the billboard and began talking about me. _Hooray…_

"Have you seen Elli lately?" Karen's voice asked.

"No. Ever since the Doctor's event, she doesn't really hang out with anyone anymore. It's a pity. I don't know what I would have done in her position, though." Ann sadly said. The _Doctor's Event_ spreading was courtesy of Popuri, who was at the door of the clinic the day I realized that Clair and the Doctor were dating. She took it on herself to tell all the girls in the town, who in exchange told their parents and soon everyone knew how poor Elli was set aside like an old cardboard box.

"Claire is also somewhat depressed. Even though she is getting married in a week, she still feels bad that Elli is not talking to her." Karen said while pasting something on the board.

"Claire is at fault here, so she should be depressed! I mean, we all knew Elli had been in love with the Doctor for as long as we remember and here she comes and steals her man. That's f****d up, I tell you… Damn, she was even her best friend and all!" Ann answered hotly.

"Well, I used to think like that, you know? But no one can control who falls in love with whom and I really regret that it all ended like this… I think I would have done exactly the same thing as Claire did, if Rick was involved, that is. "

"Yeah, you're right. But…still…poor Elli…"

"Better not let her hear you saying that! Mary says that by the way she looks when someone says that, she hates it." Karen warned.

"How can she tell? All Elli does is smile! I haven't seen her angry not even once!" Ann protested.

"Mary says that you can easily tell how a person feels by looking into their eyes. And she's right… Elli no longer lets anyone look into her eyes. She always closes them and pretends everything is ok…" Karen explained

Ann did not reply and the girls stayed for some more minutes, talking about Claire's dreamy wedding dress, until they decided to part ways. By the time I got out of the billboard, I was physically sick, with a heavy knot in my throat. That was when I saw Gray, half hidden in the shadows on the square's entrance.

"Oh, hi Gray!" I smiled, trying to sound as normal as I could.

The apprentice blacksmith got out of the shadows and looked me straight in the eye. After some seconds, he replied: "Mary is right. You are not happy."

Sighing tiredly, I sat on the bench in front of the billboard. "Of course I am not. What did you expect?" I said bitterly, covering my mouth soon after as I realized how impolite that sounded. "Sorry Gray, I didn't mean to be rude!"

"Of course you did. You want to tell me to mind my own business and buzz off but you don't dare. That is why you will continue to be unhappy." He simply answered, taking a sit next to me.

"It's kind of hard to be happy for me right now. But I will be fine…" I replied as I fought the tears back into my eyes.

"No you won't. You don't have the drive to be happy. You _pretend_ you're happy for others sake, so that they don't have to deal with your sadness. You keep trying to protect everyone from pain, hurting yourself in the process. You won't be happy in that way…" Gray said matter-of-factly.

That's when I lost it. All the sadness, anger and jealousy piled up in my throat and the tears started falling. Gray patted my back while I cried. After a long while, I calmed down and tried to explain myself. "She… was…_sniff… _my friend… And I loved him! Did she know…_sniff…_ how difficult was it for me to back off? So as not to hurt her? And for who, for what? She betrayed me but she is still getting married in a week, in a lovable princess gown; she is taking the man I've dreamt of marrying ever since I was a child and I don't see justice in that. I know that she couldn't help it, but… but…"

"But you're hurt anyways." Gray finished for me. "Look, Elli. I don't know you and you certainly don't know me but I'm going to tell you something. If you want to make everyone happy even if you're unhappy, that's your choice; but it's a damn fool choice. Take a look at Claire: she feels bad, yes, but that doesn't prevent her from still planning her wedding and moving on. Trent has it bad, being the guy that split you both, but it doesn't prevent him from smiling every time someone mentions Claire's name. Everyone in the town pities you but that doesn't prevent them from thinking what they are going to buy for the new couple. The only one that doesn't pity you is me and that's why I'll give you this…"

He handed me a piece of paper; a letter directed to his grandpa. At my quizzical glance, he gestured me to read it. Apparently, the new mayor of a place called Waffle Town was looking for some administrative aid and wrote to Gray's grandfather to ask for his help in pasting an announcement in our town.

"You have administrative qualities to spare. After all, you are nurse, secretary, receptionist and what not in the Clinic." Gray said after I finished the letter.

"But I can't leave! I mean, I have to take care of Stu and Grandma and the Clinic. Even if the Doctor is marrying Claire, she doesn't know anything about managing…"

"There you go with your super heroine act. Stop trying to save everyone! For once, do a service to yourself and be selfish! If Claire is a good farmer but a sh*tty organizer, too bad! If the doctor can't manage his Clinic by himself, too bad! Your Grandma is in excellent health and Stu is almost a teenager. I'm not saying that you're not needed but everyone deserves happiness. Mary taught me that when she accepted to marry me and I'm not quite sure why nobody has taught you this. It's up to you if you wanna keep being a stepping stone for others' happiness. Bye Elli… " the blacksmith said while walking south to his home.

I sat there for a long time, looking at the letter in my hands. _It's up to you if you wanna keep being a stepping stone for others' happiness…_

………………………..

The next morning, I went to the Mayor's office and faxed my proposal and resume to this Waffle Town mayor. Thomas was surprised when he saw the kind of documents I was faxing, but I explained nothing. After that, I went to the library for a map to locate this so called Waffle Town, _the farthest, the better._ By noon, Thomas had told several people the nature of documents I had faxed and most of my friends had stopped at the Clinic at one point or the other for an explanation. I told them I was looking for more money, that there was a better position in Waffle Town and I was taking it. Karen, Ann and Popuri stood baffled for a couple of minutes while I dealt with some other patients but then, resignedly, went to spread the news. The Doctor was saddened when I handed him my notice, but deep down I knew he was relieved of not having to put up with the town's gossip or the drama anymore.

At night, while I was closing, Claire came to the Clinic to pick up the Doctor. While he was fetching some orders and his coat, Claire stood awkwardly in front of me. I kept checking the stock of medicines as if nothing had happened.

"Is…is it true that you're leaving?" she asked faintly to my back.

"Yep, Thomas called a few minutes ago and told me Waffle Town's mayor has offered me the post. I told him to fax my acceptance." I said, not turning to see her. Suddenly, I felt how she latched onto my arm and began sobbing.

"I… am… sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you… Please don't go!"

I turned to her and patted her head. "I know Claire, but it happened anyways. First, I hated you because of it but now I understood that there was nothing you or I could have done to prevent what happened. We are not super heroines…"

The blond sobbed even harder, "Elli, you have to stay! You are my best friend! I know what I did was not loyal to you but I love Trent! Please stay, at least until my wedding. Be my bridesmaid!"

"Hell, no!" I laughed while Claire opened her eyes in shock. Pure, smiley and proper Elli swearing and refusing? The world's end, for sure. "Do you really think I want to see how you marry the man I have been in love with for as long as I remember? Claire, you are my friend but you can't ask that of me! You can't have it both ways, that's something someone taught me and something you should learn."

The Doctor came and frowned at Claire's tears. The other Elli would have rushed to explain but **this** Elli bowed, hanged her apron and walked out the door. As soon as I got home, I explained the things to Grandma and Stu, who were surprisingly ok with it. I went upstairs and packed my belongings; the mayor had swung by after faxing my acceptance with a bus ticket to the coast, courtesy of the Clinic for years of service. Or servitude…

…………..

At dawn next day, in the bus, I was enjoying one of the apple strudels Grandma improvised for me hours before. Stu gave me a necklace he found for me in the mines and I had it on my neck. The girls had given me some mittens, a scarf and a book; the mayor had given me a business suit among many other gifts the villagers had collected for their dear nurse. Once we were crossing the limits of Mineral Town, I saw a blond woman and a black haired man running next to the bus:

"Claire! Doctor! What in the Godde… What are you doing!?" I shouted, lowering my window.

"Elli! We came to say good bye! But not forever! That I will not accept!" Claire shouted, running as fast as she could.

"Claire and I will stay here in Mineral Town! Write to us Elli! We will wait for you!" The Doctor shouted as he fell behind.

Soon, Claire and the Doctor became blurry _silhouettes in the distance. Or perhaps they became blurry because of the tears…_

After that, the trip to the coast was virtually fast. I located the man called Pascal and his boat, which was supposed to take me to Waffle Island; once we entered to open sea, Waffle Island was 2 hours away. At the dock, I was received by a heavy man with a brown haired, balding head; a stunning, model-like woman of blond curls and a short, blond, serious boy of no more than 10 years old. The lad approached and held out his hand:

"Good afternoon. Welcome to Waffle Island, Miss Elli. My name is Gill Hammilton and this is my father, the Mayor and my mother Mrs. Ginevra Hammilton."

Eyeing the young man as carefully as I could in search of any prank which boys of his age tended to do, I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, young Hammilton…"

He smirked, drawing a lock of hair off his face with his left hand as his parents stepped in to greet me. They helped me with my things towards the local inn where I was to be hosted until further notice, of course courtesy of the Town Hall (although my suitcase was way bigger than Gill, he insisted on carrying it). As soon as he heaved my luggage on the bed, Gill ceremoniously announced he was going to call on Luna, whoever that was, and fled downstairs. His parents followed not long after, at a more sedate pace and I was left on my own, contemplating the beautiful rainbows all over the Island.

Rainbows that disappeared in that same year…

Surprisingly, along with any desire to leave the Island…

I still miss the rainbows, though… and now that I think about it, I haven't written to Claire or the Doctor in over 10 years. I should get to it one of these days…

_Elli_


	7. The Late Summer Complot

Hello people! This is again from Elli's POV. It's fun to write as her and now I could finally write the twist I wanted.. I will be returning to Gill's POV, but I will write in Angela's POV as well. I hope you'll like it.

Let me thanks again my reviewers, especially my newest one cheeks-of-rose and the always welcome faith121897

So, enjoy XD and **keep reviewing**!

And hail Winston Churchill

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

After reminiscing, I fell fast asleep. I was in the best part of my dream with a muscular fellow of no face when I was woken up…

Knock…knock…knock!

"Go away!" I answered as I drew the covers over my head, trying to prevent the muscular fellow from disappearing. It was 2:00 am anyways, for the Godd… for all that is holy!

Knock…KNOCK…PUM… "ELLI! YOU IN THERE!?" Owen's voice boomed outside my door.

"OWEN! YOU BETTER NOT BE DRUNK AGAIN KNOCKING AT MY DOOR OR YOU'RE GONNA **SUFFER**!" I shouted from under the covers, as my dream vanished. "I HAVE A HARDCOVER COLLECTION OF DANIELLE STEEL BOOKS AND I'M **NOT** AFRAID OF USING THEM!"

"Elli, please, open up! It's Anissa! We've got Angie here and she doesn't look well at all!"

"COME ON ELLI! JIN IS NOT IN HIS OFFICE AND NOBODY KNOWS FIRST AID OVER HERE EXCEPT YOU!"

That made me sprang off my bed and throw the door open. In Owen's arms laid Angela, pale and unconscious. I gestured Owen to put her on the bed while Anissa claimed my stove to heat up some water. I ran to my medicine cabinet and returned with some salts which I placed under Angela's nose; the latter crunched up her nose and woke up slowly.

"Hmmm… Hi Ells… Why are you in my house?" Angela asked groggily.

"You are in my house Angie. Owen and Anissa brought you here…"

"You passed out in the mines because of the gases. Owen and I found you and brought you here" Anissa explained while placing some hot towels on her cold limbs. I got up to prepare some mint and ginger tea for her.

"How..*_cough…cough_*…how did you know I was there?" Angela asked the long haired girl.

"You invited me to a sleep over, remember?" Anissa said. "You mentioned this afternoon that you were going mining and then you'll receive me in your house in the evening. All your livestock was still outside when I arrived so I knew you hadn't come back yet. I went to the mine and Owen offered to go find you after I told him my suspicions."

"*_cough…cough_*...Hero again, eh, Owen? What's next in your agenda, dragons?" Angela laughed softly.

"Nope, Angie. I can cope with the mines or deep water but dragons are out of my contract…" Owen chuckled as he blushed slightly.

"Too bad, ha..*_cough…cough_*…ha…*_cough…cough_*…ha…*_cough…cough_*"

"Shhhh, Angie! Try to drink this so you can breathe better and rest. And no going to the Town Hall tomorrow for extra work, you hear?" I said as I came back with the tea. "Owen, Anissa, I think I can take it from here. You better go home and rest too."

"Are you sure Elli? I don't mind staying…" Owen said as he directed an adoring gaze to the oblivious farmer who was drinking her tea with closed eyes. Anissa shook her head and pulled the blacksmith out the door, promising to visit Angela later during the day when she went back to her house.

As soon as they left I harshly interrogated my friend, not still believing the luck she had had of someone finding her on time. I had seen cases like hers gone bad back when I lived in Mineral Town.

"I needed some particular ore according to Ramsey, so I can upgrade my fishing rod. I have to improve it to get an ingredient I need. Unfortunately, the stupid rock that expelled the gas was the last one I was going to smash for the day…"

"Sorry to tell you this, Angie, but no ingredient is worth almost dying down there. You have to keep some energy to go up in case of an emergency! I'm sure there are plenty of delectable fish that can be caught with the rod you have now."

"No, Ells! This ingredient is not just for eating. It can make me stronger, so I can finish my mission of reviving the Island!" she vehemently said.

"Angie, you sound just like Gill when I met him! But he, unlike you, was 10 at the time! I cannot believe you were so careless. Next time, Owen may not be there to save you!"

"I know! That's why I want to become stronger! In just three days, you'll see what I'm talking about!" the girl affirmed confidently before drifting off to sleep.

……

The next day, Angela left me a note, thanking me for taking care of her;_ farmers sure get up early_... I shoved the message in my pocket and went to work as normal. Gill arrived shortly after and marched decidedly towards my desk:

"Was Owen drunk again last night?! I could hear him pounding on your door from my room! It woke me up! And I'm sure Yolanda will come to complain anytime now."

"No, not this time. We had an emergency and since Jin was at the Brownie District, I had to take care of it." I said as the Mayor entered and paid attention to our conversation. Gill just nodded and went off to gather some files for the usual morning tasks.

"Was Owen hurt?" the Mayor asked.

"No, actually, it was Angela." I heard some files fall heavily on the floor… "Apparently she passed out because of the poisonous gases in some of the deeper levels of the Ganache mine. Anissa, who had been invited to her house earlier, told Owen and both found her unconscious in the mine."

"Why was she there for?" asked the Mayor.

"She was digging up for some Ore to upgrade her fishing rod. Maybe for some hidden wonderfuls as well, who knows…"

The Mayor nodded gravely. "When she comes today, I will talk to her. I know she needs ore for her tools and such but she shouldn't overexert herself like that! Owen or Anissa may not be there next time…"

"Oh, I don't think she will be coming today. She had respiratory problems last night, so I assume that after taking care of her tasks she will stay at home." I said.

"But then she should be in the Clinic!" Gill said from the floor, where he was picking the files up. His father looked at him surprised; Gill wasn't one of displaying emotions for people he barely knew. The guy blushed and explained, "Well, I am sure Jin would appreciate any study case…"

The Mayor and I agreed and everyone continued as normal, missing however, our daily, loved-hated, morning tomato juice. In the afternoon, Gill announced he was going to have lunch at the Inn and marched out the door. The Mayor told me, not long after, to go and have lunch as well, so I decided to join Gill at the Inn ( although Gill doesn't eat excessively, he surely takes his time to eat). When I arrived and didn't spot him, I asked Maya about him, learning that he ate in a flash and went out again, with a large piece of what looked like Silver Ore in a bag. Wondering just how Maya figured it was a Silver Ore, I asked for a simple hamburger and fled towards Caramel District, spotting Gill's blond curl bobbling its way to Angela's farm. Cursing my luck for not having a camera, I hid behind the closest tree as the Mayor's son knocked on the door.

"Oh, Gill! Good morning!" Angela said, blushing as she tried to flat down her hair. _Really smooth Angie, dressed in those ridiculous bunny pajamas. I told you to buy some less childish clothes… Now I guess you'll really listen to me!_

"Hey," said Gill as he handed her the bag. "I brought you something."

The farmer peered in the bag and squealed as she saw the Ore. "Thanks!! I so needed this!"

He waved it off, "I didn't buy it especially for you or anything like that." Angela looked a bit crestfallen._ Gill, as smart as you are, you are still socially challenged…_ "It's just something I had lying around, and I thought you could use it."

"Well, thanks anyways for bringing it to me" said the farmer, although not as cheery as before.

Gill shrugged, "As I said, no need to thank me at all. I should go now. Take care."

I watched as the blond took the way by the beach to return to the Town Hall, unaware that he was still being observed by Angela. The girl sighed and looked in the Ore bag, spotting something that looked like a card. She took it out and after reading it for some seconds, she began twirling around and kissing the paper. I smiled to myself and departed; whatever it said, apparently it was good enough to lift Angela's mood… I just hoped that she didn't show it to anybody, for her own sake.

…..

The following day in the Town Hall, I received a call from Angela in which she invited me that evening to a small get-together in her house. She told me to tell Gill as well, and so I did but it was no use: Pascal had come to tell the Mayor that the vortex preventing the boats from getting near the Island was getting bigger and he could no longer traverse it or even try. Needless to say, the Mayor, Gill, Pascal, Ozzie, Yolanda and some other town elders had an emergency meeting, from which I was excluded until further notice. I was requested, nonetheless, to be quiet about the whole ordeal until they figured out what to do. If they didn't find a way to get rid of the vortex…

Refusing to think about it, I made my way to Angela's. The small get-together was a symposium of loud music courtesy of Maya, beverages from Kathy's expertise and the noise provided by Owen, Luke and the hostess. Bo, Toby and Anissa consisted in the ever proper and logical contingency of every party and I rushed to join them.

"Enjoying the party?" I asked as Kathy gave me a cocktail.

"It's lively!" said Bo as he watched how Angela challenged Luke to a race to the beach and back. The blue haired boy pumped his fist, accepting the dare. Owen offered to be the judge and soon the pair was off, clashing onto each other is hopes of making their opponent lose balance.

"Sure, it is. Angela has been in a very good mood. And if she can run around like that, I daresay she has recovered from yesterday's ordeal," added Anissa while sipping some grape juice.

Toby was about to say something when he spotted Renee making her way to us and ran to meet her. Owen called everyone's attention to the runners, who were pushing themselves to the limit. Maya and Kathy soon tied 3 or 4 long napkins together, ran to the starting point and positioned themselves at opposite sides so as to make a cloth line for the winner to go through.

Luke began gaining on Angela. His boots gained more purchase on the hill.

Angela caught up on Luke and began gaining on him. She was lighter and the small hill was behind. Plus, she threw one of her gloves at his face.

Luke wasn't about to be left behind. He grabbed the hem of Angela's shirt, making them both fall down on their faces.

Quickly, rubbing their noses and cursing, they both recovered and began the last 25 meters. Seeing that Luke's long legs were about to make her lose, Angela literally crouched and jumped the last half meter, went through the napkin finishing line, dragging poor Maya and Kathy along. Everyone was laughing their heads off as the trio tried to disentangle themselves from the mess of napkins, helped by Owen.

"Hey, Angie! You dead in there?" Owen laughed as he extricated the farmer from under her friends.

"Y..e..s…" she murmured as her head surely spun. After some more laughing, Renee helped Maya and Anissa assisted Kathy. No one but me noticed that Luke was still on the road, picking up a small paper. A very familiar small paper…

"Oi, everyone!" Luke smirked as he waved the paper into the air. "You're not gonna guess who has an admirer…"

That caught the people's attention and I watched as Angela's face went from pink to bright red in a matter of seconds. I approached to Luke: "I don't think that that paper is yours Luke…"

"Like hell it is! I would puke if this was mine! But Angie obviously wouldn't. Or would you, _future Mrs. Hammilton_?"

Angela screeched and ran from where she was to tackle Luke, failing sorrowfully. The bandana boy just kept waltzing out of her reach as he read the card for all to listen:

"_Dear Angela_, - Now we are dear, huh? Ha ha ha…"

"Luke, stop it!" I warned seriously as Angela tried to recover her note.

"_Hope you'll soon be feeling fine, the way you were before_, -Oh, so sweeeeeet!" continued Luke, deaf to my warnings. "_Because things just won't be the same, until you're well once more… _-Sincerely, Gill, the poet of your heart, ha ha ha ha"

Angela finally got her chance and punched Luke in the stomach. The carpenter dropped the card and I seized it before he could recover. Angela breathed relieved as she kicked Luke some more on the floor.

"What the hell is wrong with you Luke!?" she said as her boot connected to his midsection.

"Yo, Angie, chill! I was just joking!!" he laughed, covering his gut from her attacks.

"That was private! And it's not funny!" she yelled as her kicks got stronger.

"It fell out of your pocket! How was I to know it was a private _love_ letter?!" he replied as he stopped her left boot, making her lose balance and fall next to him.

"It's not a love letter, you moron! It's a get well card!" she huffed from the floor.

"It's a love letter I tell you!" the boy insisted as he tickled Angela on the floor, trying to lighten the mood. "Here we have the future Mrs. Hammilton people! We better treat her well or when her future husband turns Mayor, we'll be kicked out of Town!"

Everyone smiled a little, feeling the tension go away as Angela laughed, being ticklish as hell. The only one that wasn't smiling was Owen.

"Get well cards are the best! I always like to receive them when I'm sick" Maya said, getting everyone's attention.

"Oh, yes! They are such a nice gesture! But let us eat now. I am quite hungry" Anissa added, changing the topic.

"Yes, me too! While we wait for Owen and Maya to grill, why don't you prepare that fire- serpent cocktail Kathy? You keep saying it's your specialty and yet I have not tasted it even once!" I said to the waitress.

"_You _are the one who will be needing a get-well card when you're done with it, girl!" she said as she went behind the bar. _Geez! Do these people get the meaning of changing the topic?_

Owen helped Angela and Luke to stand up. He was smiling now, but his smile did not reach his eyes. _Oh, no, Owen, please don't…_."Ha, ha, ha. True Elli, be careful with that stuff! I once had 3 on my birthday and I was out for 3 days! I of course received a get-well card from the Town Hall. I think it was the same message as the one in Angie's card, ha ha ha, though I was too out to remember!"

"The same message?" Luke asked as he rubbed his head. "I didn't know the note was standard…"

"When I got hurt in the Carpentry, I also received that one. I wonder if there are different messages…" Bo innocently piped in, while Angela's grin faltered.

"I think there are about three different messages and the Town Hall alternates them." Renee said, not having seen Toby's face warning her. "I got one that said something like Hope this happy get-well note adds sunshine to your day- and finished in something like warm and special way. Then, when I got the flu last Winter, I got the one in Angela's note and when I sprained my ankle earlier in the summer I got one that said The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love. I think that one is my favorite."

"No, I prefer the one in Angie's note" Maya stated obliviously.

"Well, enough about the cards! The drinks are ready! Come on everyone!" Kathy –who had a scary amount of cocktails with flames on them- said from behind the counter. Luke dragged Angela to the bar followed closely by Maya, Renee and Toby. Anissa and Bo trailed at a more sedately pace and I was left behind with Owen.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" I softly said to the man next to me.

"What are you talking about Elli?" he smiled, eyes closed.

"Angie didn't have to know the Town issues generic messages to its sick villagers…" I said, looking ahead in fury. I know all about eyes closed.

"Come on, she would have found out sooner or later!" he said. "I just did her a favor"

"You could have told her some other time, as Anissa, Toby or I surely planned to do!"

"Why are you so mad? It's too late anyways. What's done is done!" he said while Angela shouted us to hurry.

"Angela doesn't like you! Whatever you're planning to separate her from Gill won't work!" I stated.

"She doesn't like me **yet**. But she will come around. Besides, Gill doesn't spare her a glance! I mean, she's hard working, funny and feisty. Smart as hell, too. I have been waiting my whole life for a girl like her! I'm not going to lose her to a guy that doesn't have but permits and notifications in his brain. Now, if you'll excuse me, Angela is calling for **me** to join **her** in having fun, unlike Gill, who prefers work rather than that woman. He has no chance against me. "

Owen stepped ahead, but I grabbed him by the arm and whispered cruelly, "Have I told you how Gill treasures a certain piece of Silver Ore he got out of the mine last year? It was to make a necklace for his mother, who died last year as well, if you can remember, because I didn't see you at the funeral. Think about this when you and your grandpa upgrade Angela's fishing rod, because the silver she will give you is the very one Gill treasured so much as to deny it to you when you asked for it. When Gill understands why he gave Angela the Ore that meant so much to him, **you **are the one who will be having no chance. And he is a very intelligent man; he will figure it out in no time. Better back off now, while there's still time."

I ran to join Angela and Luke in drinking the first row of fire-serpents, while Owen stayed rooted on the ground, glaring at me hatefully. If he wanted to go to the dark side, he'd better be prepared to face me because I wouldn't let him ruin Gill's life as mine had been ruined. No way… _I'm sorry, Gray. I still have that super heroine complex after all…_

………………………………………

"Bye, bye, Angsh!" said Luke cheerfully as he was dragged out of Angela's house by Owen- who already had a comatose Bo on his shoulder. It was 3 am.

"Bye, my frndz! I love you all so mush!" answered a very inebriated Angela, leaning on me for support. She was the one who drank the most, with 7 fire-serpents, along with Kathy. Luke was in second place with 6; Owen and I with 4 in the third place; Maya and Bo last with 2 each. Anissa and Renee accompanied the Ganache mine party and Toby escorted Maya and Kathy back to the town, the latter tripping and cursing the ground for moving.

Once everyone was gone, I placed Angela on a chair and began preparing a strong coffee for both of us. She had to get up early to harvest those tomatoes and I had to go to work later in the morning. It was Sunday, but I knew that the vortex situation wouldn't have been solved that easily, so the probability of Gill and the Mayor taking the day off was out of question. I had to go and help them, while trying to hammer some sense into Gill so he could act quickly before Owen made another cruel move.

As soon as she smelled coffee, Angela raised her head from the table.

"Thanksh Ellz, for styin…"

"Shhh, don't worry. I need the coffee as well, so it's cool."

"At least I know you..you're here for me… not becauz the Twn Hall sent you…" she slurred as she picked the get-well card. She read it, but then she crumpled it in rage and threw it on the floor. "Goddesh, I'm…an idiot…"

I took the crumpled card and flattened it against the table. As mad as she was now, I knew she would regret it later. It was then when I noticed two things I hadn't seen.

"Angie look!"

"Ellz, throw it away! It's… generic bullshit after all… I can go to Hallmrk and…and…buy it for myself…."

"No, Angie, look! I know the message is standard, but the writing is not! All the cards from the Town Hall are printed but this one hand written!" I said while shoving the note under her nose.

"So? I saw that too, you know… I'm an idiot but I'm not blind…"

"Don't you get it? Gill never writes the cards by himself. It's a waste of time when you have a printer, he says. And he never puts his favorite phrase at the very bottom of the paper. The message was personalized for you! He acknowledges you!" I said exasperated.

Like if she hadn't been drinking, Angela took the card in a flash and began reading the last phrase in it. Throwing the paper in the air, she grabbed my hands and began twirling me around.

"Elli! You are an angel!" she gleed.

"Angie! Stop it! We can fall down!"

"No, I'm in heaven, you're an angel, we are not falling down!" she laughed as the alcohol fueled her bliss. She let me go and began dancing with the paper, falling heavily on her bed, still laughing softly. I, however, hurried to her bathroom to puke my guts out.

It was 4 am…

----------------------------------------------------------------

_Dear Angela,_

_Hope you'll soon be feeling fine,  
the way you were before  
Because things just won't be the same,  
Until you're well once more._

_Gill_

**Pd. If you're going through hell, keep on going.**

------------------------------------------------------------


	8. The 1st Rainbow

_Hello everyone!_

_Here Kinnetik_Ishisu hoping you are enjoying the story. This chapter is told from several different characters' perspective, so it was fun but difficult to write._

_My thanks to Faith121897, Ravenclaw53, Gabi123 and Hirotamoy (to whom I apologize for abusing Owen, but it all has an explanation, I swear T.T)_

_So, ta-da! Here you go!_

_***_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**_Dear Taylor, _**

_You can come back home! The vortex is gone! Mother, Father and I are at the Town Hall and right now, they are enslaving Angela -our new farmer- into teaching them how to buy a ticket by Internet. Oh! They have already bought it! They say you have to go to the port and give this number: 88562300 to the receptionist so she can tell you which boat you have to board. Pascal will wait for you in the Toucan Island. And please, be quick about it! Father, Mother and I are most impatient for your return!_

_Love,_

**_Anissa_**

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Summer had always been my least favorite season due to its heat. I was always prone to sunstrokes when I was a child, so it meant that I had to stay indoors instead of running around with the rest of the kids. And in the Souffle Farm, life is quite unexciting since my brother hadn't been born; I guess my only distraction was to watch the rainbows.

I always wondered how the rainbows were made. Doctor Jin –or Jin as he has asked me to call him- and I always discussed this when I went by the Clinic and we would always come up empty handed. These rainbows were special because they were on the Island all the time, defying nature. In the end, we decided that they were to not be analyzed but admired, so I would sit on the Clinic's porch every day to watch them, joined by the young doctor. Then, without any warning, they disappeared, leaving memories of what could have been and never was…

Subsequently, you can understand my surprise on the day after Angela's party when the impossible happened…

"Anissa! Oh Anissa! Come here, quickly!!" my mother's voice was hectic.

I ran downstairs as quick as I could, finding her and father embracing and laughing. "Mother, I'm here! Em…Why are you so happy?" I asked regaining my breath.

"You may want to look there on the sky…" said a soft voice behind me. Doctor Jin had come to the store but was clearly so entranced that he didn't enter. I looked up and saw the most beautiful rainbow I had ever seen, way more beautiful than the ones I remembered.

"But… how …?" I was speechless. The rainbow's colors were vibrant, glittery even.

"I am as confused as you are, I can assure you. Sometimes, however, I have learned that _how_ is a question that will not have an answer," the doctor answered wisely.

Suddenly, a white haired figured ran up the hill to us; Toby, if the fishing rod was any indication. He stopped and panted heavily while Jin instructed him to breathe deeply and slowly. "The…vortex… It is gone… The Mayor told me to come and tell you…"

Mother and Father looked at each other and ran towards the town as fast as I had ever seen them go, especially Mother. I laughed and ran after them, towards the town too. _Taylor could finally come home!_

_********************************************************_

"Moooooo"

_Where am I?_

"Mooooo…"

_Arggghhh… sun…_

"Moooooo…"

_That's a cow… _

"_Mooooo…"_

_Oh yeah! I'm at Angela's…_

I got up and a blanket fell from me. After vomiting my guts out last night, I fell asleep next to Angela's bed. Realizing it was Sunday, I leisured for some minutes before going out to look for the farmer so I could say good bye. When I walked through the door, I saw something impossible: a multicolored rainbow arching proudly over the town. _'I'm still drunk, damn…_' Grumbling, I returned to Angela's kitchen and prepared the strongest coffee I could manage, drank it down, waited a couple of minutes and went back out: the rainbow was still there, laughing at me.

_Oh, oh, oh, oh! I'm sober! __That is no illusion! It's a real rainbow!!!_

I ran towards the town, crashing with Craig at the Maple - Caramel District intersection. The old bat kept running after his wife, with his daughter close behind as I had never seen her run. Just when I was dusting off, Jin and Toby collided with me, sending me back to the dirt.

"Elli, I am sincerely sorry!" the Doctor apologized.

"Why are you running like a mad-man, doctor?" I asked as Toby pulled me up.

"Have you seen the rainbow Elli? It is most surprising! And apparently, the vortex surrounding the Island has disappeared!" Jin answered with unusual excitement in his voice.

"Where is Angie? Has she seen this yet?" Toby said while looking around.

_Now, that was a good question. Where in the world was Angela Blackmoon?_

_**********************************************************************************************_

My day at the Blacksmith's began as any other. Patting Chloe on her head, I shouldered my hammer and went into the mines, removing boulders out of the way. Chloe was playing with some junk ore I had found for her and Angela would appear any minute now, as every Sunday, to dig into the mines. A little later, perhaps, as I looked at my watch and remembered that Angela had won the drinking contest last night. Shrugging, I continued my work peacefully.

"Owen!" Luke's voice shouted my name from out the mine. "Come here, man!"

"_You_ come in here, I'm busy!" I shouted back, knowing that Luke only wanted to show me the latest part he added to his ax, which I had seen a thousand times already.

"Come on man! This is important! Angie is here…" he said. Chloe gleed and sprang up from the floor, running to see the farmer. I chuckled and continued working; I wasn't falling for that one again…

"Hey! Angie is not here!" Chloe's indignant voice pouted from the outside while I laughed. Then, after a minute or two, she shrieked and laughed as well.

'_Is Angela really out there?'_ I thought as I left my hammer on the floor. Running as quick as she could go, Chloe came to drag me outside.

"What is it, Chloe?" I said while she pulled me out of the cave and towards the Souffle Farm.

"A RAINBOW!!!! I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE!! IT'S SO PRETTY! YOU HAVE TO SEE IT!!" she squealed as we reached the end of the road, where Bo, Luke and Dale stood mesmerized. I soon joined them as I took a look at the most impressive rainbow I had ever seen.

"Is that a….?" I tried to ask. Rainbows were fairytales in this Island.

"Yeah…" Luke answered.

"It's incredible! I had never seen one here!" Bo said while standing on his toes to watch better.

"It's natural," Dale said. "You weren't born here and you came shortly after the rainbows disappeared. But this one…it's magnificent…"

Without any warning, Luke took off towards the town. "Come on! We can see it better from the Town square!"

Bo laughed and followed rapidly. I went after them thinking that this could be the beginning of a new future for the Island…

******************************************************************************************

"_Angela…Wake up"_

_What… Hell no, it's 5 am. Let me sleep in for a bit …_

"_Angela… Daren is waiting…"_

_Who the flying is Daren? And who the flying are you? No, no, no, wait. I know who he is and I know who you are. The question is __**why **__is your hair green?_

"_I need you to help me… I have been waiting for you for a long time"_

_Geez, lady, then wait two more hours, what's the big deal? Zzz…Zzz…Zzz_

"_Angela, wake up NOW!"_

At 5:15 am, something (or someone) pulled my bed sheets to the side and landed me on the floor, missing the intoxicated Elli by inches. _The Harvest Goddess is one sure impatient b*tch…_ Rubbing my butt, I went to take a shower and have breakfast. At 6, I got out of my house, rucksack on my back and watering can in hand. Having slept only one hour and fifteen minutes, I was ready to smack any idiot who stood in my way; fortunately, it was too early for someone to mess with me.

I sluggishly climbed upstairs to the Square and saw the prissy little green and yellow flower. '_Muahahaha, judgement day, sprite!'_ I thought viciously while drowning the said flower. Immediately, Daren the sprite appeared, complaining as usual for the shower. _Why do you turn into a flower if you hate water? You should turn into a cat or something…_

"Oh, amazing! You collected all the ingredients for the rainbow!_"_ he chirped.

"Well, it was difficult but not impossible. Though I almost die twice, now that I think about it…"

"Oh, well, things that happen. But pay them no mind and give me the ingredients. It's time to make a rainbow!" he said as he extended his little hands to me.

'_Pay them no mind!? I almost died, you psycho sprite!'_ I thought while handing him the ingredients. The little fella smiled and levitated all the ingredients into the air:

_Purple grilled yam and carp, so blue!_

_Mix, mix, mix!_

_Herb fish, lovely and green_

_Mix, mix, mix!_

_A yellow, common seashell_

_Mix, mix, mix_

_An apple, so very red_

_Mix, mix, MIX!_

Abruptly, all the things began swirling rapidly around us and finally merged into a giant rainbow of shimmering colors. The most beautiful rainbow I had ever seen in my life…

"Now you can use the amazing rainbow bridge!" Daren said, taking me out of my contemplative state.

"Em… Sure, but, isn't it a bit ethereal? I mean, is it a leap of faith or something? Like in Indiana Jones?" I asked worriedly. I sure wasn't looking for my third near death experience by falling off this rainbow, no matter how spectacular it was.

"Em... Nope. Well, almost. You'll need this badge to cross the rainbow bridge. It's a proof that you're friend to the Harvest Sprites" he said while giving me something that looked like a green button. "Now that the rainbow is back, the Island should get more lively. Enjoy! "

I stepped back as Daren turned into a flower again, feeling the wind play with my hair. '_The wind! The wind has come back!'_ This was a day that I would definitely remember for the rest of my life. I was one step closer of helping the Harvest Goddess and the Island; the difficulties that -up until now- I had had…they just simply added sweetness to this moment. '_So this is happiness, huh?' _ I pondered while I twirled around the Square like a fool; '_I could burst in any moment and it would be just fine_…'

"Angela?" somebody asked as I laughed and spun. I stopped and turned around to find the source of the voice, though I could recognize it anywhere.

The Mayor's son brushed a blond lock out of his face and stared at me in wonder. The wind was still blowing, throwing leaves into the air and all around us. "How… what did you do?" he asked.

I couldn't answer, not yet. Instead, I left the watering can on the floor and took his hand, "Come and dance with me! We just have to celebrate this wonderful rainbow"

"Angela! Wait! We are going to fall! And you didn't answer my question!" he closed his eyes while I grabbed both of his hands and whirled.

"No, we are not going to fall! And look at the sky! It's so blue and beautiful!" I yelled as I did the latter.

Reluctantly, I saw him open his eyes and focus on the sky above, deciding to finally enjoy himself. He laughed and helped me to twirl even harder. His hands were cold and his tie was undoing itself, but I couldn't manage to let go. I was in a world of my own and he was with me.

Like that day, in the Eastern City University, where we met.

Even if he doesn't remember…

In the end, we tripped with my watering can, plummeting us both to the floor in a blur of leaves, brown and blond hair. And even there, when I was sprawled over him, he beamed. The leaves on his hair, that adorable curl on his head, those Summer-blue eyes, the wind between us both…

"Gill, did you know that we have met before?" I asked.

"What?" he asked startled.

"Well…I didn't know your name at the time…" I began.

_Please Goddess, do not let me forget this day!_

_Let it be with me even if when I'm not anymore!_

_Let this boy see that I love him and no other!_

_Please Goddess…_

***************************************************************************************

_**Summer 23**__**rd**__**, XXX1**_

A rainbow has appeared! After 10 long years, I was able to see a rainbow again!

Father and I were having our usual early breakfast at half past six when Toby's voice accompanied several violent knocks to our door.

"Mayor Hammilton! Mayor Hammilton!"

Dad sprung from his seat and threw the door open while I followed him into the living room, both fearing the worst. We were confused, however, when we saw Pascal and Toby's excited faces (well, as much excitement as Toby's face can show…) out of the door.

"What is the matter?" Father asked urgently.

"Mayor! The most incredible thing! The vortex! It is gone!" Pascal said while twisting his cap in anxiety.

"And come and see this! You too, Gill! There is a rainbow, over there, almost like coming from the Square!" Toby said while pointing upstairs towards the Town Hall.

Father and I quickly stepped outside to join other villagers alerted by Toby and Pascal beforehand. Colleen and Jake were watching the event from Yolanda's patio as Kathy and Maya embraced each other in happiness. Father began laughing and dancing with Pascal (shuddering image, mind you), Toby just smiled widely and I still couldn't believe it.

"Father!" I said while I ran to the Town Hall. "We don't know how long the vortex condition will be calm, so try to go with Toby and Pascal to assess the situation! I'll be back!"

"Where are you going?" Father shouted behind me.

"To sort this out!"

I ran to the bottom of the stairs, taking two of them at the time when I finally reached them. The wind was blowing leaves all around me. '_Wind? What is this, in the name of the Goddess?!'_ As I arrived to the top, I saw someone twirling around and gleefully laughing among the whirlwind of leaves. I could recognize that laughter anywhere.

"Angela?" I asked probingly, staring at her. She stopped and drew a lock behind her left ear, staring back at me. "How…what did you do?" She had to do something with this, I just knew it. The green badge pinned on her tool belt just confirmed it. That was a sprite badge and I knew because I used to have one, back when there were rainbows in the Island.

Instead of answering, she left her watering can on the floor and grabbed me as her new twirling partner. As much as I protested, she just kept telling me to admire the sky. _When the message is good, the messenger is seldom important, _my mother used to say. And I thought: if the message is that the Island is having its glory back, do I really have to care how she did it? Thinking about this, I just grabbed her hands more securely and spun harder. She squealed and I laughed, sincerely happy at this new turn of events. However, her blasted watering can decided to creep between my feet and we were sent to the ground, Angela falling heavily on me. But not even that could wipe the smile off my face; it was as if the wind was carrying away my concerns.

She looked at me for a few seconds, gathering her breath. "Gill," she said finally. "Did you know that we have met before?"

"What?" I said, sincerely surprised. My eidetic memory has always been my pride.

"Well…I didn't know your name at the time…" she began, climbing off my lap. "It was this time when-"

"Waaaah! Kathy! Here you can see it much better!!" Maya's annoying voice interrupted the farmer's revelation. Half the town downstairs concluded that the rainbow's view was much better from the square and came up without delay. I saw Angela smile painfully to me while being dragged by the oblivious waitresses of the Inn.

Shortly after, Ruth, Craig and Anissa panted their way upstairs too, followed closely by Jin, Toby and Elli. Finally, the crazy trio from the Ganache District –that meaning Bo, Owen and Luke- made their raucous entrance minutes after. Owen immediately scooped Angela in a bone crushing embrace and sat her on his shoulders, so she could have a better view. Unexplainably, my brow frowned and my legs were moving towards them, only to be stopped by Anissa's family demanding to speak with my father about the immediate retrieval of their son and brother. Breathing deeply, I focused on them:

"Ruth, as I understand, your son is in the Eastern City! First, he has to travel by boat to the Toucan Island and only then can Pascal go for him." I explained to the excited mother, wondering who didn't know that. Well, apparently, Ruth, Craig and Anissa, if their dismayed faces were any indication.

"But Pascal could do them the favor of going to the Eastern City, can't he?" Owen said, while getting closer with Angela on his shoulders. The rest began to pay attention as well.

I frowned and replied, "Pascal's boat is in no way equipped to travel that much anymore. Remember that because of the vortex, he hadn't been able to order new parts for his boat and as such, it won't last a trip like that."

"But we could wait for the spare parts…" Toby said.

"The spare parts would take at least from three weeks to a month in arriving here, since they come from the Northern City…" I said again, watching the disheartened faces of Anissa's family. Elli directed me her '_you-better-use-your-people skills-you-fool-or-I-am-going-to-hurt-you' _look, so I gulped and added, "However, once Pascal's boat is equipped, retrieving Taylor is only a matter of time and a very plausible choice…"

Everyone nodded, still a bit disappointed, when Angela cleared her throat from above Owen. "Hey Gill! Do you have internet connection in the Town Hall?"

"Yes, we do. Recently, actually…"

"Why don't we go to the Eastern city Port webpage, buy this Taylor's ticket with my card and fax the kid a letter, letting him know which boat he has to take and when. Then, he can meet Pascal in this so called Toucan Island in no time…" she explained.

"Can you do that?" Ruth said with hopeful eyes.

"Well yes, it's not really quantum physics…" she said while scratching her head.

Immediately, chaos started: Craig dragged Angela off Owen's shoulders and pushed her into the Town Hall. Ruth pulled me as well, to show Angela where this internet thing was. Anissa accosted Jin for a pen while Elli ran inside to search for a blank piece of paper and to connect our dying fax machine to an empty outlet. A couple of minutes after, the ticket was bought, the fax was sent and the Souffle Farm family was in Angela's debt.

"Pay me back with seeds, why don't you?" she laughed as Anissa mentioned of how could they ever repay her.

Curiously, after the whole ordeal, the Town became quiet once more, but now I could hear the wind blowing and have a little more hope for the future, thanks to our local, crazy farmer, who gasped and ran back to her farm to harvest her tomatoes…

_**Gill**_

_***************************************************************************************_

That summer night was one of the coolest we had ever had. It was 8 pm and I was still at the Town Hall.

"Elli, could you please lock everything?" the Mayor asked me while I stacked some papers on Gill's desk for tomorrow.

"Sure, sir, have a nice night!" I answered, while I watched him go out the door. The day had been exhausting and I knew that he still had to go for Gill, who was yet at the On the Hook, going over "Taylor's retrieval plan" with Pascal.

As I was shutting down the computer, the fax machine began to work. Going to it, I took the paper and identified Taylor's messy writing.

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Dear Anissa, Mom and Dad,_

_This is the best day ever!! Of course I'm going home as soon as I can. I even swung by Grandma Shelly's Tailor Shop and told her the good news. Candace and Luna were so excited by them that Grandma decided to take them and the shop and go back to Waffle Town with me. The more, the merrier!_

_Grandma Shelly wants you to tell the Mayor to please arrange the papers of their old house so they can move as soon as we get to the Island. _

_Well, gotta go, but see you soon!_

_Taylor._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

I crumpled the paper a bit in my surprise. This definitely weren't good news for Angie. Luna –Gill's old flame- was moving back to Waffle Town…

.....

To be continued…


	9. The Firefly Festival

(from behind a chair) Hello everyone!

Here Kinnetik_Ishisu reporting with a new chapter after a long absence. Being a teacher these days is just not what it used to be…

My thanks as usual to Faith121897, Ravenclaw53, Gabi123 and Hirotamoy who comment every time. Also my thanks and welcome to my new reviewers Sandychild, A Midsummer Night's Dream (yep, those are Nekozawa and Belzenef XD)

So, enjoy!

_Pd. I promise, no more confusing multiple POV's. They were a pain to write and were not as good as I wanted them to be XP_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**Summer 24****th****, XXX1**

After the rainbow, everyone's lives went back to normal albeit it's a happier normal, I concede. For me, however, the rainbow brought an array of hard-to-describe emotions. On Monday, when I went back to work, I saw a slightly crumpled paper on top of my desk. Puzzled, I opened it and read what Taylor had written to his family and how the event had convinced Shelly to move back to the Island with her granddaughters. I embarrassingly recognize that I almost fainted on the spot; I never thought Luna would come back to the Island.

Once I read the letter for a second time, I noticed that Elli had entered quietly and was staring at me.

"What are you going to do?" she asked quietly, referring to the letter.

"I… I don't know. I never contemplated that she would come back…" I answered truthfully. She knew how I felt about Luna.

Elli nodded and went to her station while I went to Father's office to ask him about Shelly's house. Once he gave me the information, I went to the second floor, got the keys and headed to the house next to Jin's Clinic, to assess if any repairs should be made before its owners arrived. According to Father, it was going to be tonight and we had to go and welcome them.

I went to the kitchen, looked at the rooms and stopped in front of Luna's old room.

I received my first kiss there.

And it was still the same as I remembered…

"_Have you kissed anyone, Gill?" _she asked me that day, sitting on her flowery bed.

"_I do not have time for such nonsense"_ answered my 10 year old self, from next to her window.

"_How do you know it's nonsense?"_ she laughed, shaking her pink curls.

"_I just know!"_ I blushed, watching her approach to me.

"_Well, I do not think it's nonsense. Prepare yourself!" _And then, she grabbed my face and placed her lips unto mine. I kept my eyes open as she closed hers; I was in shock. I remembered Luke's fervent speeches about how kissing girls gave you cooties. That was rubbish, wasn't it? Because a person that smelled so good and was so pretty could not infect you with cooties…

She pulled away shortly after and grabbed her chin, lost in deep thought. She was blushing and sure as hell I was blushing as well.

"_Well, it isn't as dangerous as Kathy says… At least I think so. Tell me, do you have cooties?"_

Back to the present,I closed the door as the image of a younger Gill grabbed his backpack and ran out of the room with a frown and a silly blush on his face.

…

As soon as I finished the house's 2nd floor appraisal, someone hesitatingly called my name. I went downstairs and found Angela fumbling with her rucksack, trying to get a container out of it.

"Emmm… Hello!" she said. "Elli told me you were here."

"Yes, there are some new villagers and I am inspecting the house to see if we need to repair something."

"Oh, yes. Maya told me about it! It's very exciting to see new people coming. Or moving back, I should say," she laughed while closing her rucksack, container in hand.

"How do you know?" I asked surprised.

"Well, Elli went by earlier to show Anissa's family their boy's letter. Anissa commented it to Renee who was with Kathy. Kathy told Maya when they were working and Maya told me while I was around cooking with Yolanda. Yolanda fled to tell Barbara, since this Shelly was a good friend of theirs."

I nodded, grasping the idea. "Oh, yes. _The women's chain of information_. I underestimated it once more. With you people around, I wonder why we need phones in the town at all…" I pondered aloud while Angela frowned, puffing her cheeks.

"Well, Mr. Hammilton, that chain of information may save your life when you least expect it!"

"Sure, sure, sure," I conceded, just to avoid the future discussion I just knew would happen. "By the way, did you need my assistance?"

She blushed and shuffled the container she had in her hands for a bit. Finally, she straightened up and extended it to me. "Take, this is a Tomato Risotto. I hope you enjoy it!"

I stared at the dish and back at her when I accepted it. There were few people who could make Tomato Risotto, myself included, and I didn't get to eat it very often. "Thank you Angela. I like this very much."

She beamed and said good bye, muttering she had to go to the Clinic to give Irene some herbs. I waved back and opened to container with the Risotto, releasing a mouth watering smell all around me. I looked around and then tasted a bit of the food; while it was not excellent, it was proficient enough. I packed it again and went outside, stopping to lock the door behind me.

When I took the road, I saw the farmer again, this time accompanied by Irene. As I passed by them, I saw through the corner of my eye how Irene pushed the girl in my direction. She caught up with me and tapped my shoulder.

"Yes?" I asked while turning to look at her.

She looked to the floor and mumbled something unintelligible. Figuring out I hadn't understood a thing she said, she repeated it again: "Gill…emm… I heard that from the waterfalls near my house, many fireflies can be seen. Today, especially. Since you are good with insects and all… this is on short notice, I know, you may have tons of things to do, but…" she trailed off, reddening by the moment.

…

'_Luna! There are many fireflies today by the waterfalls. I've seen them before. Would you like to watch them with me?'_

'_That's a stupid idea Gill! Who would like to watch glowing bugs?' _

'_Yeah… very stupid idea…'_

…_._

"Yes, I have several things to do." I interrupted while she assented and began retreating. "But why don't we go to the Firefly Festival together tonight?"

Angela smiled widely, nodding while doing so. I bowed and turned to the Town Hall once more. "Let's meet at Caramel Falls at 7 pm, then."

"Sure, I'll wait for you! I'm looking forward to it already!"

As I reached the stairs, I saw Angela hugging Irene and the older woman laughing with her.

Inexplicably, I had the urge to laugh as well, but was quickly suppressed as I saw Owen eyeing me evilly. Of course I had to respond in kind as I went upstairs to the Town Hall.

…

Once I entered the Town Hall, Father asked me about the house. I gave him the information I had gathered and before I left his office, he called me back.

"Emm... Gill, son…Have you seen Angela, today?" he said while stamping some papers.

"Yes, I did. She shared with me her ultimate culinary creation, which is not remarkable but not hideous either."

"She told me she had to tell you something…" he commented while turning to look at me.

"Well yes, Angela always talks about something. You can never really get her to shut up…" I vaguely answered enjoying his squirm.

"Come on, Gill!" he said throwing his rubber stamp in the air. "What did she say?"

I laughed while I closed the door of his office. There was no way in hell I was letting Father know anything about my private affairs. I knew that in a matter of minutes, all the town elders would be gossiping, I just knew it. While I walked downstairs, I saw Elli trying to resume her position behind the counter after surely been eavesdropping.

I sat on my chair and began counting,

_3…_

_2…_

_1…_

_1 ½ …_

"Didn't she say anything about the Firefly Festival?!" Elli finally demanded from her post.

_Ha, ha, ha, ha, women…_

"She tried…" I said while signing some documents.

"Oh, Gill, don't tell me you scared her away! Poor Angie! You have to be nicer!" she said while glaring at me.

"I do not deny that I may have scared her. She couldn't get the words right, so I offered the invitation instead…"

I was almost knocked over as a squealing Elli came to hug me: "I knew it! I knew it! This is so great!" She released me and looked into my eyes: "Does this mean you've given up on Luna?"

I smiled and continued working, while Elli squealed again and floated to the counter towards a newly arrived Simon, whom I later learned was the one requesting the divorce papers this month.

_Yes, it would seem that I was giving up on Luna. However, my plan was just going perfectly; according to Father, we had to welcome Taylor, Shelly and her granddaughters tonight. I would just simply be there and then announce my leave to my date with Angela. Luna will be seething with jealousy and she will definitely want me then. Simple logic with women: they always want the man who is no longer available, or so I've read. A more perfect plan was never conceived…_

…

**7:15 pm**

Pascal is always on time, that's one of the things I appreciate in him. Taylor jumped to the ground and ran to his family; one of the few times I've seen Craig and Ruth truly smile. After they had taken their son, I looked at the boat again, my heart skipping a bit when I saw those familiar pink pigtails and almost fully stopping when the owner of the pigtails looked at me and smiled.

"Shelly! How nice to have you back!" Father said as he hurried to embrace his friend.

"Hammilton, this is so great! I see life has treated you well. You've even loss weight!" the old lady said while my father laughed heartily, placing his hands over his voluminous stomach. _Shelly, you glasses need new glasses, you old bat…_

"Well, I dare say life has been getting better since the beginning of this year, right Gill?" Father answered winking at me. I could see Shelly, Candace and especially Luna's quizzical look. _Success…_

"Indeed Father, we have been having better weather and with the vortex gone, I can only project an increase in commerce from now on. Now that you have come back Shelly, I am expecting your city customers to follow." I answered as stoically as ever.

Shelly laughed. "As ambitious as ever Gill. And here Luna was wondering if you had changed and turned into a stupid boy like the ones in the city, ha ha ha."

"Grandma!" Luna frowned at the old lady while Candace tried to calm her.

"Well, well, well," Father interrupted. "Gill, why don't you escort Luna and Candace to their house while I take Shelly to the Inn? Barbara and Yolanda made me promise to make her stop by or they would do unspeakable things to me…"

"I… I want to go with Grandma…" Candace whispered timidly. She was always the quiet one but always the most attune to everybody else's feelings.

"Ah, being that the case, you'll have to escort only Luna and keep her company until we come back… I hope you don't mind" Shelly smiled while Father frowned a bit and Luna rolled her eyes. It was no one's secret that while father adored Shelly and Candace, he couldn't stand Luna. He kept telling Mother it was better we had gotten separated, when he thought I couldn't hear him.

I took a breath as everyone looked at me. _This is it… Easy, Gill, easy..._ "Emm… I am sorry, but I'm late to meet Angela. I promised to meet her at 7 and it's already half past the hour. _Angie_ will be upset if I dally any longer. She'll probably think I stood her up…" I said while smiling wistfully, just as described in a book I read long ago, trying to seem smitten. "Do you mind if I only accompany you to your house, Luna? I'll come by tomorrow for lunch if you wish"

Luna grabbed her suitcase and the bunny –_the bunny!-_ and strode past me: "No problem, just grab the other suitcases and follow me." _Ha, she is obviously upset… Mission accomplished!_

While we were walking away, I could hear Shelly asking Father who Angela was. Father gleefully replied something about _new farmer_ and _Gill's __**friend.**_Shelly would have had to be very dumb to miss Father's entendre.

…

Once I left the suitcases inside the house, I said my good byes and ran to the On the Hook, hoping to gain some time and arrive faster to Caramel Falls. To my surprise, once I arrived to the beach, I heard Luna calling my name.

"Wow, you sure are still as fast runner!" she said breathlessly once she caught up with me.

"Luna! What is it? Is something wrong?"

She looked at the sea for a couple of seconds and then spoke softly. "Who is this _Angela_?"

"Angela is the Island's new farmer. Quite an interesting woman, with a lot of secrets…" I smiled, trying to suppress a smirk as I saw Luna's rapidly growing somber face.

"Today is the Firefly Festival, is it not? You're going with her…"

"Well yes, she doesn't think the fireflies are stupid glowing bugs" I said while looking at her intently. I saw her flinch and deep inside I felt glad.

"Whenever I saw fireflies, I thought of you…" she said while playing with the lace in her left sleeve. "We lived in a place where you can see a lot of those…"

The revelation shocked me and pleased me. "Luna, what are you trying to say?"

She blushed and whispered a phrase I could not understand. As I was going to ask her to repeat it, she came closer and kissed me. The sweet smell of her perfume, her hair blowing with the wind, everything was as the first time we kissed…

"I missed you Gill…"

This was the moment I had been envisioning ever since she went away… I closed my arms around her and deepened the kiss; she was responding in kind… Yet it didn't feel right.

I felt…

I felt…

What did I feel? This definitely wasn't the feeling I remembered… This wasn't the bliss I expected. Something is wrong…

…

"_Sure, I'll wait for you! I'm looking forward to it already!"_

…

_**Angela!**_

Pushing Luna away, I blindly ran towards Caramel Falls, ignoring Luna's voice behind my back. I ran as fast as I could but as soon as I arrived to the place, it was not difficult to notice that Angela was no longer there. Of course she wouldn't be … It was 8 o'clock already.

I sat on a rock as one last firefly flew in front of me. Somehow, I just knew right then that my perfect plan had a point I hadn't contemplated. Perhaps I was feeling something more for Angela… And now I didn't understand a thing of what my heart was trying to say…


	10. The Midnight Summer's Bliss End

Hello again!

I want to thank you all for reading, you all inspire me in my writing.

I have to thank particularly to my reviewers Gabi123, Ravenclaw53, Faith121897 and A Midsummer Night's Dream for their constant comments. I'll do my best to keep on going.

Also, I welcome my new reviewers Chocobo86, R.a.A, Kohana92 and Trapper Chavez. Thanks for taking your time and commenting.

So I hope you enjoy and leave more reviews plz XD

Pd. I know that promised not to write more multiple POV's, but I think these ones can be understood better. XP

* * *

_**Angela**_

The morning after a girl has been stood up sux. You know, it's like one of those Limp Bizkit lyrics, _It's just one of those days when you don't wanna wake up, everything is f***, everybody sux._Well, yes, now I could relate to that song, in every way.

I was embarrassed. I was embarrassed and humiliated. Hell! I was embarrassed, humiliated and angry. Why did I think country boys were any different from city boys? Oh yeah, because Elli and Irene have their heads full of romantic fluff and that is contagious. Why I ever thought I was going to be lucky with Gill is beyond me…

Last night, I dressed in my best (and cleanest) outfit – a blue, sleeveless, knee length dress with high heels- prepared the hot Tomato Risotto and parted to Caramel Falls to possibly one of the best nights of my life. As soon as I arrived, I spread the white blanket and sat down. It was 6:40 pm, early still, but I swore to myself that I wouldn't be arriving late to my first date with Gill. Well, I didn't know if he counted that as a date or not, but according to what Irene told me, it was customary in the Island to take your romantic interest to the Firefly Festival or go with a group of friends. She even commented with a dreamy smile how she was given the blue feather in a Firefly Festival (whatever a blue feather is supposed to mean is beyond me, but it must mean something good I guess…).

Ten to seven, Reneé and Toby appeared and asked me who I was waiting for. I told them with a smile that I was waiting for Gill; Reneé opened her eyes to bovine proportions and Toby looked as surprised as her. While I don't know how most of my friends know I like Gill, none of them believed I had a chance. They congratulated me and went on their way, to a spot next to the waterfall. At 7, Luke, Bo and Owen startled me when they clapped my back loudly: Owen invited me to join them by the shore, but I informed him I was waiting for someone.

"Is it Gill?" Luke asked smirking. Behind him, I saw Elli approaching us.

"What if it's him?" I asked back defiantly. From the party I threw at my house, I still remembered Luke's ability to embarrass me with anything concerning Gill.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, I knew it!!" he laughed loudly while Elli dragged him away towards where Owen was sitting down. "Well, enjoy yourself, Mrs. Hammilton, ha, ha, ha"

Flushed, I ignored Elli's wink and Reneé and Toby's amused looks. Everybody was distracted however, when the fireflies began coming out. They were beautiful and as a treat, began flying among us, surely perceiving that none of us were a threat to their immediate existence. After 20 minutes, a newly arrived Anissa sat next to me. I asked her to keep me company while we both waited for Gill and Doctor Jin. She said that the Doctor was going to be arriving late because he had a case, but at least we could all watch the fireflies together when he came.

Ten minutes later, the Doctor came up to us. He looked agitated and apologized profusely to Anissa for having kept her waiting while thanking me for having kept her company. _"The shortcut by the beach perhaps was not the best one,"_ he said. Anissa asked the doctor if they could stay with me until Gill arrived, to which I refused. There was no way I was going to interrupt their evening; although Gill was not one to arrive late, I was sure he was bound to be there in any minute. Although the doctor insisted it was not problem –and he insisted a lot, with an unusually expressive gaze- I ushered them away and resumed my position. It was 7:30 pm so I decided to steal some bites of the Risotto while thinking how I was going to heat it up when Gill arrived…

At 7:40, the fireflies began to fly away, leaving their most flirty companions behind to entertain us for some more minutes. And while everyone was trying not to, I could feel them watching me, pitying me from the sides. Scaring one firefly who had sat next to me, at ten to 8, I began picking up the blanket and the leftovers of the cold Risotto. As the firefly posed on a rock, everyone as if on cue, began commenting on how beautiful was the festival and how it was late. I ignored the rest as I began to walk towards my house in wobbly steps because of the damned high heels I had worn to match the stupid blue dress that had wrinkled incredibly as I sat during 1 hour 10 minutes before I finally understood I had been ditched as the fool I am. However, my evening was not over; I slipped because of the heels, falling face to ground in the path in front of my house. The glass Risotto container mutinously escaped from my hands, rolled three times on the air and crashed spectacularly on the floor, breaking into million pieces –many of which embedded themselves in my shoulders and arms. And of course, the sound of fatality had to attract my friends:

"Angie! Are you ok?!" Elli's footsteps were soon to approach.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine…" I grumbled as I fought with the knot in my throat. When I tried to stand up, a sharp pain extended through both of my hands: several pieces of glass had incrusted on my palms and forearms.

Owen came and lifted me by the waist, extracting me effectively from the sea of glass shards. Some glistening pieces fell off my skirt, bouncing hypnotically on the ground. I also thought it was raining, as I saw some drops fall on the ground, but apparently, they were really tears that had treacherously escaped my eyes. I tried to wipe them off before anyone noticed, but Jin grabbed my wrists, stilling them.

"Don't!" he said while taking a handkerchief Anissa was offering. "You'll get glass in your eyes that way. Better come to the Clinic. Goddess knows that those cuts hurt a lot..."

Everyone knew I was not crying because of the cuts, after all, which farmer would cry for something like that? Yet, nobody mentioned otherwise. Good friends these I have; they respect my wounded pride. While Owen carried me after Jin and Anissa, Bo and Luke searched my right pocket for my house keys and offered to clean up the mess. Elli trailed behind, trying to cheer me up with promises of cakes and drinks later at the Inn. I hiccupped once more and kept silently weeping…

It was 8 o'clock.

…

"Well Angela, that's it!" Jin announced as he dropped the last glass shard on a metal tray next to the lavatory. "Some bandages here and there and you can go home." We were at the Clinic, where I got a glass of water, some medicines and some stitches.

"Thanks doctor!" I said sincerely. Anissa's herb tea really had calmed me down. "I'll swing by later to pay for this, I promise!"

"Don't mention it," said the kind man. "Keep bringing me those singular Pontata Roots you somehow get and I'll consider us even."

"You wanna join us at the Inn, Doc? There's a huge party over there!" Owen asked while helping me down the bed as the doctor finished bandaging me up. "Bo and Luke have to be already there and Elli, Angie and I are heading over there too!"

_Party? Inn?_ "Hey, I didn't say anything about going with you!" I protested. All I wanted to do was curl up, die and wake up tomorrow morning to plow my field. Was it so difficult?

Elli smiled and pulled my nose, "That's why we didn't ask you! You're just coming and period!" Leaving me pouting, she turned to the doctor, waiting for his answer.

The Asian shook his head, "No, I'm terribly sorry; I left certain unfinished business by Caramel Falls. I may go by later, if it's not too late. But Anissa may want to accompany you, I think."

The long haired woman looked at the Doctor for some moments and then smiled, leading the way out to Owen and Elli's delight. As I followed them, I realized something was just not right: Anissa was never one of parties, but for me I know she would assist to any. But the Doctor leaving Anissa to attend any unfinished business was unthinkable…

…

The Inn by night was nothing new to me, but that night was definitely different from others. There were a lot of the town elders over there plus some other residents I had never seen, perhaps from the neighboring Islands which I still had yet to visit. As soon as the Mayor saw us he frowned a little but then regained his usual cheery self (fueled by alcohol, no doubt) and introduced me as the Island's new star farmer. Introductions made, I was dragged to the dance floor by Pascal, who still had some nice moves in him, I gotta admit. Although he mimicking Tom Jones and me taking off my shoes may have helped a bit…

Owen was being harassed by the old ladies, for Anissa and Elli's mirth. Bo and Luke tried to save him after returning my keys, but ended up in Yolanda's clutches instead. After a lot of laughter and more alcohol, I was sitting next to Maya, Pascal taken away by an old woman in glasses who looked like my grandma but moved as if she were a stripper. And dancing _Sex Bomb_ may have given her the idea…

"Having fun?" she said as she sipped her cocktail.

"Very!" I had to admit. I had calmed down and I would talk to Gill later; perhaps he had to work late and he couldn't go. He _did_ have a lot of things to do according to what he told me. "I never imagined you threw this kind of parties or I would have begun coming long ago!"

"Ha, ha, ha, ha! That's the spirit, isn't it?!" she laughed while looking at the crowd. "Well, we don't have them often, but Shelly came back so we had to!" she pointed at the old woman dancing with Pascal.

"The granny-stripper?"

"HA HA HA HA HA, WAIT 'TILL I TELL HER!!" she laughed as she almost fell from her chair. I hurried to grab her, but she recovered on time. "Well, yeah, she was our old seamstress. When alcohol touches her, she just transforms! Her snob granddaughter Luna were here, she would have a stroke, ha ha ha"

"Oh, she has a granddaughter as well?" I asked.

"Yeah, well, she has 2. Candace, who is on the bar next to mom and Luna, that is not here." Maya explained while pointing to a blue haired, quiet girl beyond the dancing crowd. "Hammilton and Gill went to greet them earlier when they were arriving to the port. It's not hard to guess that Luna is catching up with Gill if you know what I mean…" she winked.

'_Catching up with Gill?'_ Something justtold me I was going to get more than I bargained for._ "_What do you mean Maya?"

She beckoned me closer and threw her arm over my shoulder. "Well, don't tell anybody I told you but Gill has this thing for Luna; ever since they were children, actually. Luna acts tough but we all know she likes him too. Even dad said they would marry someday."

I signaled Kathy for another of whatever Maya was taking. I needed to keep the alcohol flowing so she would tell me what I needed to know. "And what happened?"

Maya gulped the rest of her concoction and smiled as a new one came in front of her. "Well, Shelly –as many others- decided that she had to leave the Island. Those times were not very good for the small businesses, you know? So of course she took her granddaughters with her. Poor Gill, he was so miserable. Hammilton did everything he could, from fishing contests to mining competitions, so he could try to cheer him up. Well, those were sad times for me too, 'cause a dear friend of mine had to go away too…" she finished gloomily, watching intently the liquid in her cup.

I had experienced something similar, when my friend Vaughn turned into an animal dealer. "I had a friend like that too. I never saw him again, though he writes every now and then. Does your friend write too?"

She looked at me and gave me a small smile, "He used to. But now he writes more to my grandma, to show her his new recipes. He doesn't care for me… " I saw a tear fall on her hand and roll down to her cocktail, mixing with the alcohol.

I didn't use to like Maya, because I thought of her as annoying, but maybe she was trying to hide that she was not happy. Suddenly, I decided that I had to cheer her and myself up. I took her by the arm and dragged her onto the dance floor.

"Come on, life is short, many fish in the sea and little time to catch'em all!" I said over the noise as I began dancing. Maya wiped her eyes and began dancing as well. She looked at my hands and arms for the first time and asked for the bandages.

"Oh, I went to the Firefly festival earlier and dropped a glass container. Guess where all the pieces went…" I said as I danced.

"Oh! That's too bad! It happens to me every month, ha ha ha. And by the way, who did you go with?" she asked while laughing.

"Oh, with Owen, Luke, Bo and Elli!" No else one needed to know I had been dumped, even if it was a matter of time.

"Oh, I knew it!" she said as she made a victory sign to Kathy –who sighed and returned to serve drinks. "Kathy had said that she saw Gill and you talking by the Clinic about the Firefly festival. She was positive he was going with you!"

I gulped and smiled, "Oh, was she now?"

"Yeah, but I told her that Gill and the Mayor along with Ruth and Craig were greeting Shelly, Luna, Candace and Taylor at the dock. There was simply no way Gill would have left Luna to go on a date with another girl. It's obvious!"

"Yeah, very!" I agreed while silently cursing Irene and Elli for not telling me this when I asked about Gill's past. Come morn I would be the town's fool…

"Yeah, but now that you're here with the rest and Gill and Luna are nowhere to be seen, I win the bet Kathy and I made" Maya finished as she saw Kathy waving some bills in her direction. She said she would be back and went to collect her reward.

As soon as she was out of sight, I put my shoes on and hurried to the door, thanking the providence my friends were distracted. I loved them dearly but I needed to be alone, under my covers. Hell, under the bed if it was all it took to stop feeling like trash. It was midnight as I walked the path to my house, slipping again after a few steps because of the damned heels. This time I fell on my butt, staining with dust and dirt whatever was left clean of my dress. Needless to say, I got up, retraced my steps, went to the Maple Lake District and with a wild yell, threw the goddamned things to the bottom of the lake.

Stupid night!

Stupid Luna whom I had never met!

Stupid Elli and Irene who filled my head with fluff!

Stupid _me_ from believing in _love_! _Dwak!_

Stupid Gill who is sitting on my door step looking troubled!

Stupid…_ wait a second!_

And there he was, five hours late, the mayor's son sitting on my door step in a grimy white suit…

……………………………..

_**Jin**_

Closing the door to the Clinic earlier that night, I hadn't imagined what expected me in the shortcut by the beach. I had finally mustered the courage to ask lovable Anissa to the Firefly festival and I had to admit I was excited by the prospect. However, Yolanda had a nasty cut some moments ago and I had to assist her. Apparently, she was hurrying to prepare a meal for the party the Inn was throwing to welcome the seamstress Shelly and granddaughters. I knew them since Candace and Luna spent an inordinate amount of time requiring medical services. Candace was fragile and she was usually sick of whatever was in season during those years; perhaps that being why she became such a proficient seamstress, being secluded in her house almost 24/7. Luna and her explorations activities looking for new fabrics and colors demanded an extravagant quantity of medicine so my grandmother and I could keep her healthy.

In any case, I took the beach shortcut since Angela had sworn it saved 2 minutes in arriving to the Caramel District. Angela had also spent an incredible number of days in the Clinic either recovering from exhaustion or talking to my grandmother. Deep inside, I was glad since I didn't have much time to talk to grandma these days and Angela became another grandchild, as she commented to me recently. During those talks, I overheard how the new farmer was pursuing the Mayor's son and somehow had gotten him to invite her to the Firefly Festival. I didn't think of it again until I arrived to the beach and saw how Angela's date was kissing a person with pink pigtails and a flowy dress of the same color; Luna, no doubt.

I stood shocked for some of seconds but then rounded the couple and continued my way, thinking perhaps I had overheard the wrong information. Once I arrived to the falls, however, I sadly saw that it was not the case. Anissa had arrived earlier and was sitting next to an unusually elegant Angela, who was waiting for Gill as my date informed me. Anissa even suggested for us to wait with Angela until Gill arrived and I agreed wholeheartedly, not looking forward to see her alone while her date was on the beach with other girl. Angela, as considerate as she is, refused our invitation and settled to eat the risotto she brought in the container while she waited for Gill. I contemplated telling Anissa the information I knew but inexplicably, I couldn't. I never thought of Gill as dishonorable so there had to be some good explanation about what happened.

The festival came and went, but Anissa and I couldn't help looking at Angela, who was bravely smiling at the fireflies while her eyes were watering. At the end, she was the first to pick up her things and leave, under everyone's veiled glances. As we left the place and said our good byes, we heard a big crash of glass in Angela's direction. Owen and Elli were the first to run, followed by Bo, Luke and Anissa. Toby and Renee tactfully left the matter in my hands, figuring Angela wouldn't want more attention than the one she had gotten for the night.

…

Once I treated Angela, I decided to swing by Caramel Falls again, figuring that somehow, Gill would be there. And I was not mistaken; he was sitting on a rock looking at one last firefly as it twirled around him.

"She's at the Inn…" I said, announcing my presence. "We left shortly before 8."

He got up and turned at me. "Did you stay with her?" he frowned.

"_Anissa_ and _I_ stayed with her for some minutes, but she wanted to wait for you alone. And after kissing Luna by the beach, I could tell you that you have no business inquiring about Angela."

He looked surprised for a couple of seconds, but then he slumped on the rock he was sitting on. "You are right… I'm just… I thought it would always… I never thought I could be in this position…"

I sat next to him. "What happened Gill? I told no one of what I saw because I wanted to get your version first. I just simply cannot picture you as a brigand who would two-time two perfect honorable women."

He sighed and placed his left hand on his face. "I've always pictured Luna and I together. The fact was simply beyond contestation; I loved her and I knew that somehow she loved me as well. But then Angela came and I knew nothing for a fact. She is efficient, likes tomatoes as I do, and is smart and thoughtful. A marvelous farmer too, I must add; I've gotten no problem in finding customers for her produce. It had been months and I hadn't thought nor dreamt about Luna but now that Luna is back, all is confusing…"

"Do you love Luna?" I asked him, though I knew the answer.

"I don't know!" he shouted, throwing his arms to the arm. "When I kissed her, I was happy because I had succeeded, but it definitely wasn't what I expected. And suddenly I remembered Angela and ran to her, but I was too late…"

I took a deep breath and began walking away. "Doctor, where are you going?" he said as he took my leave.

"That is your answer Gill. You kissed Luna, you were with her but you ran to _Angela._ That's all you need to know"

And with that, I left to the Inn. I could probably dance a piece or two with Anissa before Shelly claims me for the night.

……………..

_**Gill**_

I took a sit on Angela's door step after I had assessed the sorry state of my suit. I had no idea of what I was going to tell Angela, but leaving without speaking to her would only make matters worse. A soft sound to my right drew my attention; there came the farmer in a soiled blue dress, with some bandages on her arms and hands. I got up without thinking and ran to her.

"Are you ok?" I asked, almost touching her arm but halting a few centimeters before.

She assented swiftly and drew a lock behind her ear. "I'm ok, I guess…" She looked at her naked feet and sighed impatiently, "Look, Gill, why are you here? It's midnight already…"

"I came, first of all, to apologize. I was…" what the hell was I going to say?

"You were with this _Luna_, weren't you?" she asked, still looking at her feet. "Maya told me you had gone to meet her and her family at the dock"

"Yeah, I was but I want to tell you that-" I began, but she waved me off as I tried to explain.

She went past me, looking for her house keys "You've got nothing to explain. I _now_ know you guys have a history. Had I known before, I wouldn't have insisted nor pressed." She opened her door and turned on the lights. She turned to look at me,"So, run along and go to sleep. I presume you have to work tomorrow…"

I entered her house before she could close her door. She protested with a _hey_, but I ignored her and stood in the middle of the room. "Look, I know that you may be mad at me and believe me when I tell you that I _do _feel bad about what happened today. Give me 5 minutes and if you don't like my explanation, I will leave, ok?"

She thought for a moment and finally sat on her bed. I took this as my cue and began to account for my actions. "Luna and I never had an _official_ history. I liked her when we were younger and apparently she liked me as well, but she left and we couldn't get to anything. I won't deny that had she stayed, perhaps we would have become a couple, but that is neither here nor now. I was serious about her but now I'm not so sure anymore… Anyway, I met with her, we talked and I lost the track of time; I ran as quickly as I could, but you were gone. For this, I'm sorry…" I finally bowed lowly in front of her.

She stayed quiet for some time. Then, she stood up, took some pajamas out of a drawer and went through a door I presumed was the bathroom. After she got changed, she came back and opened the door for me.

"Gill, I understand that you are confused. But if you're not sure about what you feel, I refuse to let you use me to find it out…"

"Angela-"

"No, let me finish. I just can't see you right now, ok? When I met you, I told you that I had come here looking for a new life. This thing that you and Luna have… It has nothing to do with me… I won't be dragged into something like this again, not anymore…" she said while lowering her head. I think I saw some tears, but I can't be sure.

"Again? Angela, what are you talking about?" I had to get to the bottom of this.

"Please Gill, just go…" the farmer said as she wept.

Seeing I had nothing to do there, I bowed and left her house, feeling horribly guilty by the second. As I turned to look behind, I saw her silhouette through the window. She was lying down on her bed, her shoulders trembling… She was crying…

* * *

To be continued


	11. Ladies of the Fray

Hello, hello, hello, hello!

Here **Kinnetik_Ishis**u with more drama, oh yeah. And some smack down right from the WWF. I hope you enjoy XD

Thanks to my reviewers: **Gabi123, Trapper Chavez, Kohana92, sandychild, Ravenclaw53,BabyKangaroo, faith121897 and A Midsummer Night's Dream for their kind comments.**

I hope you have played Harvest Moon Island of Happiness so you can recognize a little of the crossover.

Thanks for reading and as usual, please review XD

* * *

**Angela**

I now remember why I don't cry. My face swells. And I mean swells! As if someone had lifted up my skin, placed some tennis balls under my cheeks and closed it up again. But after Gill left last night, what was I left to do? I had sincerely hoped that he would say that he liked me or that at least he didn't feel anything for this _Luna –_whom I don't know but already hate- but it just didn't happen. However, I would be smarter this time; I wouldn't make the same mistake of getting involved with a guy who's confused about two girls. Goddess knows I shed just too many tears when Vaughn told me he was leaving the Eastern City for good to marry Chelsea. He had told me that he wasn't sure about how he felt about her or me, but I still pressed, trying to get him to like me. I can't say that it was a waste of time, since I learnt from him how to take care of animals and get their best produce, but I helped him so he could see that I was the best for him and his life. Chelsea, however, managed to tame his heart in a way I had no chance of doing so she got the cowboy and I got his precious gloves as good-bye gift (I was hoping for his hat, but that was sooo not happening…). Anyone but me would have thrown them away but I kept them to remind me of my mistakes; I swore that day I would never, ever, get involved in a situation like that. Damn, I had even kept Vaughn and I's picture of back when I was a fool in love… Bah! Gill and Luna could kiss my rear for all that I cared; I was not going to be a fool for a second time, hell no!

Suddenly, some frantic knocking at my door startled me out of my memories. "Angela? Angela Blackmoon, you better not be asleep still! It's already 10 a.m. and we have a shopping mission I sincerely hope you haven't forgotten!!!" Elli's voice boomed from the outside.

Getting groggily out of bed, I dragged myself to the door, opening it and letting some sun in. "After the night I had yesterday, you can't be serious about dragging me out of bed at 10, now can you Elli?"

"We're wasting time Angie and by the way-…wow… Angie… you look like hell…."

"Yeah, your own personal devil at the door. Come in and close behind you; I'm gonna try old bat Craig's coffee recipe and see if I can wake up…" I said as I slithered to the kitchen.

"The famous _Re-Living the Un-Dead_ recipe? No one has gotten that one! How did you make him teach it to you?" Elli said sincerely surprised as she closed the door.

"He didn't; I saw him once while he was preparing it. He was laughing so maniacally that I had to see what he was doing…" I declared from inside the fridge as I collected the ingredients.

"Angie, if Craig had found out…"

I placed the Pontata root, the turbo jolt, the coffee, the honey and the grape cocktail on the counter and connected the blender. "What could he have done? Wack my head with a weed?"

"He has plant pots, you are aware of this right? Heavy, ceramic, damage dealing plants pots ready to be crashed unto any skull to keep that secret, right?" she said while helping me cut the root.

I contemplated this for a second and then shrugged. The recipe would have to stay with me until the old bat and his plant pots threat were way below the ground…

…

After having drunk the concoction, I fell on the floor, seizing for a minute or two under Elli's terrified look. Then, I laughed maniacally at the goblins dancing around her and fully incorporated when I understood they were just products of my very altered and awake mind. Remembering I still had to feed my chickens and my silk worm, I ran to my coop, Elli hot on my heels.

"Angie! Are you sure you are ok?" she fretted as I lifted the in-the-past very heavy chicken feed bag to spread some of its contents to my chickens. Curiously, now it was feather like…

"Never better, Ells, never better!" I answered as I checked on my silver worm. The stupid thing better produce silk soon on I was going to introduce it inside Cain's lying rear… "Now I will go to chop off some wood, yeah, that's what I'll do!" I ran back to my house to get my ax.

"Angie! Shopping, remember?! Today is Summer 25th! Chloe's birthday is in 2 days and we promised her a dress!!" Elli's voice floated behind me.

I stopped and nodded, crossing my arms over my chest. "Chloe's birthday, of course, of course…. Well…" I ran and grabbed her hand and began running to the town. "Let's go to Pascal and tell him to take us to the Eastern City to buy the dress. I know some shops that are nice and not that expensive, you know?"

Elli tripped every two steps. "Pascal's ship still hasn't sent for the missing parts to travel that distance, Angie! Going to the city is out of the question!"

I halted and Elli crashed against me, falling to the floor right after it. "Damn! Why hasn't he done so? I must talk to Gill , no, wait, I'm not talking to Gill anymore. Stupid Gill, messing up when I need him. Well, we have to think of something else. And why in the Goddess nonexistent name are you on the floor, Elli?" I finished, looking at the startled girl on the ground.

"Angie perhaps it would be better if we go by the Clinic first. You are a bit accelerated, I think…" Elli said slowly, as if talking to a child.

"Nonsense Elli! You show up to my door babbling about lost time but then you suggest a pit stop at the Clinic. Kindly make up your mind!" I frowned.

The Town Hall's assistant sighed, closed her eyes and looked at me again. "Ok, tell you what. I have an idea but I need one of Chloe's dresses-"

"Oh, I see!! We're gonna make the new dress! I can go for a sample one in a flash! I'm like a ninja, you know? But I don't know how to sew… Well, it can't be that difficult! Oh, oh, oh!!! We could ask Jin to help us!!" I interrupted while skipping in one place.

Elli scratched her head. "Why would we ask Jin for help? He is not a tailor Angie, he is a doctor…"

"Duh! Obviously Elli!!!" I said while shaking my head at the stupid remark. "However, he has to do stitches! He has practiced them many times, especially when I go by the Clinic. For example, take a look at these ones from yesterday when the stupid container fell…" I began undoing my bandages.

Elli stopped me in a flash. "Angela! Stop it! What are you doing?"

"Just showing you how Jin sews! He has practice! Besides, sewing flesh cannot be that different from sewing fabric, now can it?"

"Yes Angie, there is a big difference…"

"Is there?"

"Yes!"

"Drats…"

…

In the end, Elli dragged me to the Inn, where she instructed Kathy to give me two mugs of hot milk. She promised to come and get me as soon as she retrieved the dress we needed.

"So, Angie, are you ok?" Kathy asked as I tapped my fingers on the table, impatiently. She had sat with me until the milk was ready.

"Never better, Kathy, never better. Just thinking where to get some nice fabric for a dress…"

"Are _you_ going to wear a dress?" she asked.

"Good heavens no! I hate dresses! Insufferable pieces of clothing designed by men to type-cast women into submissive little-"

"Ok, ok, ok, I get it…" Kathy broke off my feminist tirade. "Then why do you need it?"

"It's 'cause Elli somehow promised Chloe we would get her a dress in her birthday. And it's in two days…" I said while waiting for Elli. She left minutes ago, I mean, how long can you take to go from the Inn to Ramsey's to the Inn again? Not more than 5, for sure…

"Well, you can go to the Tailor Shop. It's already open and Shelly is the fastest seamstress I've ever seen. I'm sure that of it's for little Chloe, she could even have the dress for tomorrow…"

I jumped from the table. "You're brilliant Kathy! I'll go right now and pick some fabrics. If it were for Elli, she would pick the flashy patterns, soooooo out of season. Where can I find the Tailor's?"

Kathy blinked her eyes a couple of times. "N-Next to the Clinic, you can't miss it…"

"Well, I'm leaving. Tell Elli to meet me there, ok?"

"Sure, but, don't you want your mug of milk? It seems you could use it…"

"Nonsense! Bye Kathy!"

"B-Bye…"

…

I ran to the Clinic and next to it was, as predicted by Kathy, the Tailor Shop. I entered and since no one was around, I began looking at some light blue fabric with white stars on it. While I pictured the kind of dress that would fit on Chloe with this fabric, a pink midget approached. _Damn Craig and his illusion-creating concoction!_

"Welcome, what can I do for you today?" the midget spoke in a soft voice. _Oh, it's a girl…_

"Oh, well, I'm looking at some fabric for a dress…" I answered taking the blue cloth in my hands.

"Flashy patterns are totally in style right now! You should try out a new outfit!" the she-midget whined from my left.

"Emmm…nope. They're not. At least not according to Vogue… They were, though, last Summer…"I countered while looking for another fabric. I hated this kind of sales person: trying to get rid of the last season material by cheating 'dumb _hicks'_.

"Oh, come on! Take some risks! You could look waayyy more attractive!" she said while waving her arms.

As I was about to choke the little idiot, an old woman came from another room. "Luna, that's enough! You're making the customer uncomfortable!"

"What? No, I'm not!" whined back the little scoundrel. "I was totally about to make a sale!"

_No, you were not you dumb little-_

_Wait! __**Luna**__?_

_So this was __**the**__ Luna?_

_Someone up there definitely didn't like me today…._

"Luna, stop being ridiculous!" the older woman replied. She then turned at me and bowed, " Well, it's nice to meet you. We just opened up this tailor shop. We sell clothes and accessories. I'm Shelly, head tailor of this shop. Pleased to meet you."

The girl turned at me again. "I'm Luna. You need to have good taste when it comes to clothes! How's your taste?" she asked while looking at me from the top to the bottom.

"Fairly good, I daresay…. I am **Angela**, by the way." I said while her baby face twisted in understanding. _Good, you have heard about me too, huh? _Shelly looked as if she would have a stroke, though…

"Hm, really? You could have fooled me with that outfit…" Luna replied. "No wonder why Gill hasn't mentioned anything about your taste…"

I sneered, drawing a frown from her. "Funny, cause he hasn't mentioned you at all…"

As the angry pink dwarf was about to retort, Shelly tactfully intervened. "Please, excuse my granddaughter. Her manners need some mending. By the way, Luna, do you know where your sister went?"

She glared at me one last time and turned to reply. "Probably some place where she doesn't have to talk to people, like the field or the mountain. What a wallflower!"

"Luna! Don't say mean things like that about your sister!" Shelly said while she looked at me, obviously embarrassed. "I'm sorry about Luna, Angela. Anyway, it was nice to meet you!"

"The same here, ma'am. And I wouldn't worry about Luna. At her age, kids tend to say inappropriate things…"

"I AM NOT A KID!" Luna screeched while Shelly tried to calm her. "I TURNED 20 IN SPRING!!"

"Hm, really? You could have fooled me with that outfit and those childish pigtails…" I replied, using her own words against her.

"Better pigtails than soggy and frayed, layered hair like yours! And this outfit is the best of the best unlike those old shorts and that horrid green blouse… Is that a dirt stain I see over there?"

"Well, I _am _a farmer. It's only natural!" I flushed while unconsciously dusting my shirt.

"Figures! I mean, how do you **live**? How can you have that horrid look and still walk proudly by the street? If I were you, I would be sooo depressed!" she said while shaking free of her grandmother.

"Girls, please!" Shelly begged, getting in between us.

I ignored the woman and threw my arms in the air. "Good Goddess! How can you utter that much stupidity in such a short amount of time? If the Brownie Ranch had a horse with the speed of your tongue, I'll be sure to buy it. It would win all races known to men!"

"Only a crass farmer like you would concoct insults using animals. Do you really have no better things to say?" she mocked as she breathed deeply, obviously trying to compose herself. "How can people in this town stand such a man-like crude woman? I mean, you even _look_ masculine! That tool belt, those boots and even those so second hand gloves. Who did you steal them from? No, no, wait, perhaps you ransacked some cowboy's trash can and found them. That's it, right? Ha, ha, ha, ha " she finished, laughing irritably.

'_Vaughn's gloves… How dare she?'_ I thought as my heart skipped painfully at the memory.

"_Luna! _Apologize in this instant!" Shelly demanded as she took in my tortured face.

Adjusting my gloves and letting my bangs fall over me eyes, I looked at Luna from behind them. "Better crude than infantile. I mean, you even scare your sister away, the poor thing! She goes to the field or the mountain not to get away from people but to get away from _you_! Only that if I knew her, I would recommend her to put you in a box and ship you all the way to equatorial Africa where the other _pygmies_ reside! That way, she'd be able to live in peace!" I shouted while Luna stepped back, her eyes watering. "That's right, so, are you going to _cry,_ little pygmy? Oh, _please_, do! Make my day…"

Luna stepped a few more spaces back, some tears falling from her incensed face. Her grandmother was about to tell her something when, agile as a cat, she side stepped the old woman and launched herself straight at me, shouting wildly with nails sharp as claws. I braced myself for the impact but the dwarf was heavier than I expected; I heard the glass of the shop's window breaking into million pieces while we both flew through it.

Shelly shouted in panic and I prepared for the impact, thinking of how many shards were going to be embedded in my arms again. Jin wouldn't be pleased…

…

**Elli**

Once Kathy told me that Angela had not taken the milk and had gone to the Tailor Shop, I feared the worst. In her state, there was no way that Angela remembered that Luna and her family owned the store. Praying to the Goddess for the first time in 10 years, I left Chloe's sample dress and ran to the Tailor Shop, begging the deity Angela had waited outside. But as I rounded the corner, I knew the vile being had not listened. Angela and Luna were flying through the glass at the Tailor Shop, entangled fiercely. The pieces of glass fell under and all around them as they impacted the floor. It looked like a really messed up bar fight… '_What did you expect Elli?' _I thought as I pushed myself faster. '_The Goddess hasn't ever listened to you in her stupid life! She may not even exist!'_

I thought the impact and the glass would dissuade them from continuing the fray, but these two were spirited women in their own accord. Luna was straddling Angela, hitting her left and right with her small fists. Angela grabbed Luna's fists and with a mad yell, head butted the pink haired girl straight in the middle of her forehead. Luna fell back, clutching her bloody forehead while Angela took advantage and tried to stand up, surely to get away from the messy sea of glass. However, the tailor recovered swiftly and with her legs, she tripped the farmer, making the latter fall flatly on the ground.

"You won't see daylight again, man-face!" Luna shouted while she hit Angela in the ribs.

"Yeah,but it would be because I will be locked up for killing you, you oversized pigmy!" Angela breathlessly replied as she grabbed the other girl's pigtails and pulled them hard, making the tailor shout in pain.

"Leave my hair alone, you dumb witch!" Luna yelled while Angela pulled her up by her pigtails. "You are so going to jail! I will tell Gill to land sorry inexistent behind in a cell for all times!"

"Shut up! No one is going to lock me up because killing you **has** to be considered community service!" Angela said as she hit Luna on her right eye, slamming her into the tailor Shop's wall.

Luna recovered quickly –out of anger, no doubt. With her eye bleeding extraordinarily, she charged against Angela, knocking her into the sea of glass again. The farmer shouted in pain as a big shard went through her thigh and was quickly silenced as Luna broke her nose in one sickening sound.

With her last effort, Angela punched Luna in her right temple, knocking the tailor effectively off her. Both panted for a couple of seconds and when they were going at it again, Irene and Jin quickly interfered. The woman and her grandson had come out of the Clinic seconds before and rapidly jumped into action, unlike me, who stood terrified at the scene.

…

**Summer 25****th****, XXX1**

Today has been perhaps one of the craziest days this town has ever had and the most abundant in malicious gossip too, if the full Inn has anything to say about it. It began as usual, Elli, Father and I going to work; I thought Elli was going to kill me last night when I went to her house to narrate everything that happened. Perhaps I wanted to be killed… After all, as I told her while she prepared some tea, I was feeling guilty as hell: Angela was one of the few really interested in being my friend and I ruined it. Now I was confused, hanging between the sensations I did not feel for Luna and the ones I did feel and also about the feelings I did not feel for Angela that now I felt.

Elli listened to my rambling while sipping her cup and was quiet for a long time after I finished. For a moment, I thought she had poisoned my drink and was just waiting for the venom to act, but then she simply sighed.

"Gill, it's quite natural to be confused. I won't tell you that Angela was wrong in kicking you out of her house, because I would have done the same, but perhaps it's better that she did."

"Yeah, I know. I'm an imbecile and now she won't speak to me ever again…" I sighed while I place the tea cup on its plate. I had a hard time swallowing.

She smiled and continued. "That's a lot of time, don't you think? No, Angie is not one to be mad for long, as far as I can tell about her. The thing is that you stood her up because of Luna, a girl you like… or used to like. That's a hard blow for any woman's pride, so you have to give her some time."

"I didn't mean to!" I insisted. "Luna caught up with me and things spiraled out of my control. Jin told me that me running to Angela was the answer to it all but I don't see any logic in that!"

Elli rounded the table and grabbed me by the shoulders. "Gill, pay close attention to what I'm going to say. First, how many girlfriends have you had since Luna? I know she wasn't technically your girlfriend, but let's ignore that for a second…."

"Emm…I… n..n"

"What? Don't mumble…"

"None, okay? I didn't like anyone in town! There was a girl in the University but I met her the day before I came back to Waffle Town so there wasn't really a chance…"

"Ok. Next, what were you expecting when you saw Luna again?" she asked, looking straight into my eyes.

I doubted for a second. _What did I expect?_ "To be the same as before, I guess. I know that we were ten last time we saw each other, but I could feel that she was the one I wanted, even then. I felt a bond, yes. That was what I expected to feel, that bond of before…"

"Did you?"

"No… I felt happy but it was not as before. I mean, I'm elated that she's here but it's not the same as before. I realized that when I kissed her… And then I remembered Angela and ran, but it was too late…" I finished miserably.

"Are you afraid of Angela not speaking to you ever again?"

"Elli, have you been listening to anything I've said?!"

"Ok, ok… Then, what kind of feeling do you get when you talk to Angela? I'm not talking about anything romantic, ok? Just about the feeling."

I thought about the feelings I got with Angela, but they weren't precise. "Hmmm… I feel confident when she's around working part-time, because she's very efficient. I've never seen anyone preventing Maya from disarraying my alphabetical ordered files… Also, she makes sense, you know? While I never understood Kathy, Maya and their giggles and eyelashes, with Angela, I can know what makes her laugh, what she giggles about and I don't feel stupid. I also feel angry when she passes out in the mines but thankfully, that fool Owen is always around to save her. She should think more of herself. She always has some kind of injury when I'm not around… And even though you and father don't believe me, I still know she had something to do with the rainbow… She's mysterious about it, but I'm going to discover what really happened… I don't know, it's like a group of intense feelings all cluttered inside me."

Elli smiled again and finally asked, "What about Kathy, Anissa and the rest of the girls? What do you think about them?"

"Eh? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer Gill…."

"Kathy, she is cool but simple. Maya, annoying and foul cook. Anissa, very charming and intelligent but a bit too quiet. Candace needs a tongue. Then, Reneé, I don't know her that much, not that I want to anyway. Selena, _please_… You, one of my most appreciated friends. So, what's the point of this?"

Elli went to her bookshelf, took out a really thick book and began speaking again while looking for a page. "Gill Hammilton, welcome to the world of crushes. What is a crush, you may ask… Well, according to my Romance Class guide, it's _'…admiring someone from a safe distance. You feel a hugely powerful emotion, stronger than anything you've felt before. You obsess over this person-" _

"I absolutely don't obsess over Angela!!" I countered, already regretting this conversation.

"May I remind you the reason of us having tea right now at 1:30 in the morning?" she said while lifting an eyebrow.

"… Continue please…."

"Thank you_. _Where was I? Oh, yes_ '…You would die for them. You think about them constantly. You are thrilled when you are near them and miserable when you are away from them. You desperately want to tell the person how you feel - but are frightened of it at the same time. _Yep_, _most of this applies to you_."_

I stopped talking for a couple of minutes, while finishing my cold tea. If the information comes from a book, it's not likely to be wrong, now is it? "What should I do then?" I asked, defeated. Perhaps I did have a _crush_ after all…

"Now, nothing. Wait for Angela to calm down and then try to talk to her, perhaps late in the morning today. Let her see that you're really sorry about what happened and improvise from there. And whatever you do, _don't_ mention Luna; that's what got you into this problem after all…"

…

Later that morning, while checking the calendar, Elli got up from her seat like a possessed fool. Announcing she was going to take a break, she sprinted out of the Town Hall under Father and I's stunned look. It was only 9:50 and the next scheduled break was at 10:30.

Ignoring that, at 11, Father told me to have some lunch because we had a meeting with the town elders at 1pm sharp. Grabbing my wallet, I headed to the Inn and took my lunch quietly, under Luke's inquisitive look. Seeing the cheesecake on the menu, I asked Kathy if she could give me one to go. I remembered that Angela loved this particular dessert and perhaps that would make her more willing to listen to me again.

As I jogged to her farm, I saw the door of her house wide open. Worried, I picked up my pace; even in Waffle Town didn't happen anything, Angela was a city girl so she had all sorts of locks installed in her door even if it was not necessary. She always locked her door. Peering inside while calling her, I saw no signs of the farmer but no signs of violence either. '_Perhaps she is nearby?_' I asked myself while looking around some more. Next to her journal, I found a picture I had never seen before, a worn picture of Angela hugging a cowboy, smiling as I had never seen Angela smile before. She was shining, positively blissful.

Taking the picture next to the window, I began examining it. The cowboy was young and had white, long hair. He was smirking, not entirely smiling and I had to admit he was good-looking. He wore a black, Stetson cowboy hat, a white handkerchief around his neck and a brown vest. But what really drew my attention were the gloves, they were strangely familiar, but I couldn't picture where I had seen them. Irritated, I placed the picture face down, by where I found it and left Angela's house, setting the cheesecake down on the porch.

Walking towards the town, I saw Luke leaning on a tree, not far from the town's entrance. He was smirking at me in the most irksome manner; I was about to be bothered by the axe man, no doubt.

"Hey, stud!" he said.

"Can I help you Luke?" I asked, not halting my pace.

He fell into step right next to me. "No, I can't say you can. But I wanted to ask you… well… How you do it?" He said winking conspiratorially and nudging my side.

"Walking? Easy, one step at the time. Breathing? Using my lungs. Avoiding exasperating people like you? It's a secret art not yet mastered…" I answered while heading to the Town Hall stairs.

He ran and stepped in front of me, still smirking. "No, you fool! How did you manage to get both Angela and Luna to fall for you? I tell you, those are the toughest women I've ever seen and yet you managed it without effort. Goddess man, they even fought for you, you know?

Flushed, I tried to side step him. "I don't know what on Earth you're talking about! Stop bothering me Luke because, unlike you, I have matters to solve!"

"So, you don't know about the fight?" he asked from behind, genuinely puzzled.

Exasperated, I turned around. Any conflict between the villagers is something the Town Hall must solve. "What fight?"

"You want the short or the long version?"

"Luke…"

"Ok, I get it, the short. Well, apparently, Angie got up from the wrong side of the bed and went to the Tailor Shop to look for Luna. We all know how you stood Angie up last night because of her and I can tell you, I don't blame her… Well, the thing is that they argued and Luna kung fu-ed Angie all over the street. They even flew by the window of the Tailor Shop and all…"

"What?" I muttered as my eyes went wide in disbelief.

"Yeah man. But Angie didn't stay behind. She pulled Luna by her pigtails and slammed her onto the wall seven times and gave her a purple eye. Luna got free and broke Angie's nose and then they were stopped by Jin and Irene. The entire town is wondering how you managed to get those two so crazy to fight for you… You should hear the long version; Maya says that Jin and Irene used some Spock-like touch to immobilize the girls when they picked up glass shards to use them as daggers…"

I was no longer listening to Luke; my feet were flying towards the Clinic, next to which I saw all the pieces of glass Luke was talking about. Fearing all of what he said to be true, I entered the Clinic in a flash, where I could hear heated voices arguing.

"As soon as I'm good again, you'll see what's coming…" Luna threatened while Irene bandaged her head and right eye.

"Luna, please… calm down…" Candace shy voice muttered.

"Bring it on, _pygmy_! The last thing you'll see from you left eye will be the flies hovering over your rotten corpse!" Angela retorted, her face distorted in by the pain as Jin took out a large piece of glass from in her thigh.

"Angie, that's enough for today, don't you think?" Elli chastised while disinfecting the wound, Jin being busy preparing the instruments for the sutures.

I entered the room and everybody gasped as I came into the light. "May I ask what happened here?"

As if on cue, Luna and Angela began trying to explain, their voices escalating one over the other until turning into full fledged screams. Suddenly, Shelly's deafening whistle effectively restored peace and the woman began explaining.

"Angela came to our store to look for some fabric but she misinterpreted some of Luna's remarks and began offending her…"

"Your granddaughter is not a saint, Shelly." Elli interrupted as Luna glared at her. "We all know she insolently implied bad things about Angela, even accusing her of having stolen the gloves she uses and all."

"They are horrible and worn out, you can't expect me to believe she _bought_ them… Besides, she also implied that I drew Candace away when I love her dearly and I would do anything to protect her. She messed into family affairs." Luna countered heatedly.

" And I stand by what I said. That poor girl over there is so shy she wouldn't have the courage to stand up to you. And your grandmother is just too much of a lady to do so. But I'm not in any of those positions so _shut up_, you snake!" Angela said while pointing at Luna threateningly.

As I watched the interaction, deciding on what to do, I looked at Angela's hands pointing at Luna. On her hands, I identified the cowboy's gloves –worn yes, but there was no mistake about it. A burning feeling rose inside me, something I had never felt before. Why was she wearing that cowboy's gloves?! In the picture, the gloves were nice but now they were worn, meaning Angela had had them for a long time. The women kept arguing while my head was spinning; I felt rage, I wanted to take those things and burn them to ashes. And I was angry at Angela for still wearing them when I was obviously so angry about them. Even if she didn't know…

"Angela, Luna, everybody, Shut UP!" I yelled. All the present turned at me as if I were a ghost, clearly scared by my outburst. Once I had their attention, I turned to the girls. "Luna, even if you mean well, your remarks are far to insolent in a regular basis. I hope this experience teaches you to curb your cheekiness and meditate your words before letting them leave your mouth. Of course, you will have to apologize."

Luna flushed in rage but then nodded, seeing the reason behind my words. Satisfied in that front, I turned to Angela. "Angela, I know you are new in this town, but a little common sense must come to you. You don't make any remarks about family members you don't even know nor families you aren't acquainted with, especially not for a silly thing such as those stupid, old, worn out gloves. Since your attitude was the most offensive, I expect you to apologize first to Luna and then I'll make sure she apologizes straight back."

I expected a reaction very much like Luna's but I should have already learned that Angela is unpredictable. Lowering her head, she jumped off the bed where she was on, much to everyone's surprise. She took off her gloves and limped towards me, leaving a blood trail. Jin and Elli were about to stop her but Irene prevented it; she somehow knew what was going to happen.

Angela came in front of me and unexpectedly slapped me with the gloves she was holding. While it should not have hurt, the blasted things were made of pure leather, so it hurt. A lot…

"I ain't apologizing…" Angela said in a gruff voice everyone could hear. "These gloves were a gift from a very important person who meant a lot to me. Because of this, I ain't apologizing to the anyone who insulted them and the memory I kept while at it. And also, while I'm at it, Mr. Hammilton, I expect you to go to _**hell**_…"

Having said that, she pulled the gloves firmly over her bruised hands and hobbled out of the Clinic, under a grave silence.

* * *

To be continued…


	12. The Royal Ball

Hello, hello everyone. Sorry again for the long delay but I wrote several possible chapter 12's that were not totally to my liking. I think this one, however, will satisfy your tastes. Of course, I made it extra long as a way of repentance! XP

I want to thank my reviewers for their loyalty: Trapper Chavez , Ravenclaw53, Kohana92, R.A.A, faith121897, A Midsummer Night's Dream and last but never least my lovable Yarbo. Most of them have been since the beginning, now that I browse back. Wow!

Then, to my new reviewers, hopefully willing to become constant too: R.A.A, xXAimikoLovesWolfiesXx, Tea Cup Sheik and AlleluiaElizabeth (Hamilton is with one "m"?! I didn't know that!!! Thanx for the tip!")

And to all the lurkers out there (I know cause I am a lurker every now and then)

Finally, couple of announcements. I included some songs just for the sake of the fic but they all belong to their respective authors and singers and I won't see a penny from them in my entire lifetime.

Check my website if you want the songs and the customs used as inspiration for this chapter.

Without further ado, the fic XD

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**Summer 27****th, XXX1**

Coming from Chloe's party today, an assortment of not yet identified feelings assaulted me from all fronts like implacable generals. Even as I sit in my room looking at the moon, they still poke me from the sides insistently.

…

After she slapped me with her gloves, Angela limped out of the Clinic under everybody's astonishment. After some seconds, Elli reacted, grabbed a bag from the table and went after her friend; and I don't know why, I followed them.

"Angie, Angie, wait!" Elli shouted. "You still need stitches in that leg!"

"I'm going home, Elli! You can take the dress to Shelly and I'll figure out what to give to Chloe later. I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed today" she shouted while turning left towards Caramel District. Her leg was indeed bleeding copiously but she was oblivious to it.

"Listen to Elli, you stubborn woman! You won't be able to walk much more if you don't let someone treat that wound!" I shouted while running to her side, easily overpasssing Elli.

Angela continued limping as dignified as she could. "I have nothing to say to you Gill, so kindly, get the hell away from me!"

"No! You need stitches! And to rest! And some anger management advice! Stop being stubborn and turn back to the Clinic in this instant"

The farmer ignored me and tried to keep walking, but her leg gave out, making her fall heavily on the ground. I was next to her in a flash just to see that she had fainted. Under Elli's concerned look, I scooped her up and carried her back to the Clinic, where Jin took her off my arms and placed her on a bed. Irene shooed me out and I was left roaming towards the Town Hall. I buried myself in the papers left to sign and stamp, refusing to answer Father's frantic questions about the earlier mess.

…

The next morning, Angela rang to the Town Hall; apparently, she had some late Summer produce to ship and no one had come to pick it up. Sincerely, with the events of yesterday, I had totally forgotten. Elli turned to me to see when I would go and collect it.

"Elli, could you call Pascal and Toby and have them go to Angela's farm for the produce?" I asked while checking the delivery date for the farmer's produce. Her buyers were strict in the delivery since her vegetables were very popular.

"Eh? But you always go…" Elli said looking puzzled.

"I have too much work for today" I answered while transporting my alphabetically arranged files to my desk. I wasn't sure if they were really ordered and I just had to check.

"Gill, Angela sorted those 2 days ago. Maya hasn't been here so they're perfectly arranged."

"One can't be too careful. Besides, I have a meeting with Father and the Town Elders in 2 hours and I haven't finished photocopying the documents we are going to use."

"Tell the secretaries to do that! All those girls do are paint their nails and surf the newly installed net." Elli countered while raising her voice.

"Precisely my point! How can I entrust these important papers to a bunch of airheads?"

"Then give them to me, I'll do it!"

"You have as much work as I. I don't want to impose"

"Gill you are just avoiding Angela!"

"Of course I'm not" I replied, blushing.

"Go, I mean, Angela wouldn't have called if she hadn't wanted to see you!"

The row continued for several more minutes. Elli was convinced Angela wanted to talk to me and I was trying to explain to her that it would be a very cold day in hell when I approached to Angela's farm again. Suddenly, the door opened with a bang, startling Elli and I. At the entrance, a very flushed Angela was dragging a big, heavy box full of corn and had a basket brimming with tomatoes strapped on her back.

"Angela Blackmoon! What are you doing dragging heavy stuff like that? You'll blow your stitches!" Elli said while hurrying to her and helping her with the box. I went and unstrapped the basket on her bag, not giving a glance to her and certainly not feeling any from her part.

"Don't start Elli! Corn and tomatoes get spoiled if they are not kept in proper refrigerated conditions and you well know that the Town Hall's storage is the only place in this Island aside from Pascal's boat that has the conditions they require" she said while dragging the box a few steps more.

Elli grinned evilly and winked at me discreetly. "Oh! It's natural that you don't want to spoil the produce, especially the tomatoes. Right Gill?"

Blushing, I placed the basket in the corner next to the wastebasket. "They are very profitable…It would be a waste…"

"Of course they are profitable!" Angela agreed, making Elli smile wider. "However, I don't think I'll plant them again. Don't get me wrong, they're good money but it's really not worth it." Elli's smile vanished; everybody knew what she really meant.

'_Why should I care of what she says?'_ I thought mutinously. _'If she doesn't want to harvest tomatoes, it's her choice!' _"Well, is that all Angela?"

She nodded and hobbled to the door. "Yep, bye Ellz! I'll be at Owen's planning Chloe's party. Drop by after work if you can."

"I'll be there. Bye Angie…"

I didn't care. I didn't care that she didn't even glance in my direction. I didn't care if she was at Owen's. I could only see how she adjusted those damn gloves as she went out…

…

At 5 o'clock, Father announced the rest of the workers that he and I would be retiring early to a family gathering. Dragging me out of the Town Hall, we fled home to get changed for Chloe's party.

"I still don't see why I should go. It's not like I'm anybody's friend over there!" I said while looking into the box Elli had dropped early. Apparently, Angela had come up with a theme party, although I didn't know which theme. Not that I cared what she came up with anyways!

"Nonsense Gill! How many times do I have to tell you the story of how Ramsey intervened when I had a bad fight with your mother back when we were boyfriend and girlfriend! If he had not made your mother listen to me, she wouldn't have married me and you wouldn't be here! So basically, you own Ramsey your existence!" Father argued hotly as he got what looked like a cape outside the Elli's box.

As I was going to bicker back just for the sake of it, Father drew more unnerving garments out of the package: brown, knee-length boots, brown gauntlets and a belt of the same tone. Afterwards, black pants, a gray long-sleeved shirt and a blue tunic with the Pendragon crest appeared as well. Finally, a tacky and shiny gold crown was placed on the kitchen table, next to the box.

"Father…What in the Goddess name is the theme of Chloe's party?" I asked while he was getting the pants on.

"Oh, let me see…" he answered, closing the zipper. He got a card out of the box and read, "Mayor Hamilton/ Gill and you represent the Waffle Town Kingdom as its corresponding King and Prince. All of Waffle Island today is going to be divided in Kingdoms! I am going to be the Duchess of the Waffle Town Kingdom! Isn't his exciting?/ Elli/Pd. Tell Gill he better be in character or else…"

Swallowing with difficulty, I began rummaging in the box, looking for my costume. It was, predictably, a prince outfit. It had a white, long-sleeved jacket, a pair of black epaulets, a golden sash and a medal. Net to it, wrapped carefully, were some dark red slacks and a belt of the same color. "You can't seriously expect me to…" I murmured while examining the garments. The jacket even had a tag that said _'Prince Charming'._

"Gill, is for a good cause. Chloe will be so happy!" Father chuckled as he went to the mirror to try on his crown. I decided to comply, because I knew a lost cause when I saw one. It was 5:30 anyways and the party began at 6pm. The sooner we got there, the sooner we could leave and the madness would be over…

…

"His Majesty King Hamilton and Prince Gill from the Waffle Town Kingdom!" Maya –the Royal Announcer and DJ as I learned later- announced while Father and I crossed the path to Brownie Ranch. Since the Blacksmith's was not spacious enough for a party, Cain and his family offered the green area by Alan's Tree. I have to admit, the decoration was spectacular; it reminded me when Mother used to throw parties back when I was a child. There were small multicolored bulbs lighting the way, tables with refreshments and food and a big space where Maya could play the music and at the same time announce the newcomers.

"Gill! Mayor Hamilton! Eh… I mean… Your Majesties, welcome!" Elli rushed to us from next to Chloe and curtsied in an elegant movement.

"Thank you! … Oh, what was I supposed to day? Ah! Much obliged, Duchess Elli!" Father laughed merrily and complimented her totally black dress. While it was not distasteful, it showed just more cleavage than I would have liked to see from Elli in a lifetime.

"Elli, what the…"

"Don't ask! Shelly made Chloe a princess dress and she was so happy, Angela decided to create a party around the topic. She colaborated with Candace, managed to send costumes to everyone invited and convinced the new cook of the Inn to treat us with his recipes today." Elli said while grabbing my arm and walking towards the birthday girl. "She even made some obscure deal with Cain to let us use the area as we saw fit…"

"Obscure deal? Do I really want to know about it?" I asked, looking discreetly for the farmer.

"She hasn't even told me, so I'm not sure if we really need to know…"

Shuddering for some strange reason, I decided that I would be much happier in the ignorance. I kissed Chloe's hand, sorry, Princess Chloe's hand, under Taylor's dark glare and went to mingle with Elli. It was early still but there were a lot of people already and whoever made up all the titles for us had definitely too much free time. Let me see if I can list everyone:

Chloe- Princess of the Ganache Mine District Kingdom.

Father and I- King and Prince of the Waffle Town Kingdom.

Elli- Duchess and Royal advisor to the Waffle Town Kingdom.

Owen-Third Marshall of the Ganache Mine District Kingdom and Personal Bodyguard to Princess Chloe.

Anissa- Princess of the Souffle Farm Protectorate, subject to Princess Chloe

Taylor-Prince of the Souffle Farm Protectorate, fianceé to Princess Chloe (although vehemently denied by him)

Luke and Bo- Carpenter Princes of the Praline Forest. (Dale, in a very good theory, was the Carpenter King of the Praline Forest but he did not show up. The word on the street is his costume didn't fit…)

Jin- Royal Physician of the Maple District Kingdom

Kathy- Royal Bartender/Poison tester of Princess Chloe's court. (She was definitely not happy about the poison tester part…)

Reneé- Princess of the Brownie Kingdom

Toby- Fisher King of the Maple District.

Chase- Royal Cook and Auxliary DJ of Princess Chloe's Court.

…

As the clock walked towards the night, some late guests arrived in Maya's shrilly welcome. "Her Majesties, Shelly-Queen Mother of the Waffle Town Kingdom- and princesses Luna and Candace!"

Shelly and Candace waved to their friends, the old woman with a dress copied from a portrait of England's Queen mother and the youngster with a blue flowy dress. Luna winked at me as she strode behind them towards Chloe; she had a red cape, a pink dress and white boots and gloves. The girl even carried a scepter and all…

A few minutes later, Maya's voice interrupted my conversation with King Ramsey of the Ganache Mine Kingdom. The last guest had arrived, "Finally, her Majesty and Royal Ball Organizer, Queen Angela from the Caramel District and Caramel Falls Kingdom!" I subtly looked through the corner of my eye: the farmer had worn a flowy, long, red dress, with white lace sleeves and some intricate choker around her neck. She smiled and immediately went to join the Praline Princes, almost at the same time as Luna became a fixation to my side.

Once the entire guests had made their presence known, Angela took over. "Well, my lord and ladies, welcome to Princess Chloe's birthday celebration!" –insert primate noises produced by the Third Marshall, the Praline Princes – "Ha, ha, ha. So, as tradition dictates, a Prince from a neighbouring nation is to ask the Princess to a dance!" Eveybody clapped as Angela looked at Taylor, clearly waiting for him to step to Chloe's chair and ask her to dance. However, Angela's knowledge of a male 8-year-old mind is terribly limited; there was no way on earth pale-faced, embarrased Taylor was going to ask a girl –much less a girl he actually _likes-_ to dance in front of so many people. The boy just stepped back, negating swiftly with his head.

"Come on, don't be shy!" Angela smiled through gritted teeth. If looks could kill, Taylor would have been a ghost. Owen and Luke hollered and catcalled while Jin and Anissa tried to convince the kid to invite the girl; no such luck. I looked at the farmer and she was kneeling next to Chloe's trying to stop her from crying as she looked around for help. '_Well, the Prince Charming in the tag has to count for something…'_ I thought as I stepped towards the girls.

I knelt in front of Chloe, as I had seen in a book long ago, and extended my right hand. " My lady, I begged Prince Taylor for the chance to engage your first dance tonight. He reluctantly gave up his turn for now, so can I ask for your lovable company?"

Everyone began to clap but Chloe hadn't moved from her seat, from where she was conferencing quickly with her friend.

"_What's engage?"_ Chloe whispered urgently in Angela's ear.

"_He's asking you for the first dance, Princess!"_ Angela gleefully whispered back.

"_But I wanted to dance with Taylor!"_ the girl replied.

"_You will, but Prince Gill asked Taylor to let him dance first with you! Taylor wasn't very happy about it, but…"_

"_Ah! So that's what reluctantly means!"_ the Princess said as her face lightened in understanding. Leaping from her seat, she stood in front of me and grabbed my offered hand. I lead her to the improvised dancefloor and began swaying her to the music. Soon, Angela and Taylor joined us along with Jin and Anissa and many other couples.

_Shall we dance?  
On a bright cloud of music shall we fly?  
Shall we dance?  
Shall we then say "Goodnight and mean "Goodbye"?  
_

Angela danced with Taylor but a few steps from where Chloe and I were. I looked at her and she looked at me, our faces accomplices. Both of us twirled our partners and in one quick movement Chloe was with Taylor and Angela's hand was sliding in mine. The boy looked flustered but composed himself quickly enough to keep counting his steps and leading a very happy Chloe.

…_Or perchance,  
When the last little star has left the sky,  
Shall we still be together  
With are arms around each other  
And shall you be my new romance?  
On the clear understanding  
That this kind of thing can happen,  
Shall we dance?  
Shall we dance?  
Shall we Dance?_

I hadn't counted on dancing with Angela and I could tell she hadn't either. We swayed swiftly, my left hand on her waist and her right on my shoulder; I could feel her left hand trembling in my right and I begged the Goddess she couldn't feel mine sweating.

"Thank you…" she almost whispered. I had to lean closer to hear better, "All would have been ruined if you hadn't stepped up…"

"Taylor was under a lot of pressure; he is still a child after all" I answered while drawing her closer to avoid hitting Father and Shelly.

"Yeah. I guess the Prince Charming in the tag has to count for something…" she smiled shyly, looking at me. I flushed for no apparent reason –'_had she seen my costume before? Did she pick it?'-_ and contented myself with looking around the "ballroom". Toby and Reneé were flying around the place; a sulky Owen was being dragged by Elli (as best as she could drag anyone Owen's size…) to the center to dance. Kathy and Bo were waltzing behind the beverage table and Chase –the new cook- had asked Luna to dance. The tailor was glaring at me with all her might… No, not at me but at my partner. Guess there hadn't been much improvement in that department, as Angela glared straight back when she was close enough.

"Did you like the cheesecake?" I blurted without thinking, carefully avoiding looking at the farmer.

She danced silently for a moment and then answered, "I loved it, thank you… I should have known it was you…" She grabbed my hand a bit stronger and forced me to look at her, "Look, I'm sorry for what happened. I shouldn't have slapped you…"

"I shouldn't have interfered the way I did. While I don't like it, you had your reasons to hit me…"

We both went silent for some more minute. "So, are we ok again?" she asked, looking into my eyes.

I smiled, genuilely happy, "Sure, friends again, no problem!" Though she smiled back, her step faltered and she looked kind of crestfallen. I immediately retraced the conversation, in vain trying to remember any impropriety I had said. As I was going to ask, Maya's voice was heard again.

"Well, well, well, isn't this a party?!" Hollers and shouts confirmed her words. "So let's move those bones with the Caramellsansen!!"

All the girls –including Angela- and some of the boys squealed while a pinkish, bubblegum song blared out of the speakers. The Elders and I looked at each other in confusion; the rest of the boys groaned miserably.

"Come on Gill! Let's dance!" Angela said, dragging me in front of everybody, her happy countenance back in place. _Had I imagined it?_

"I do not know how to dance this!" I resisted. Mother's dance lessons had definitely _not_ covered this rhythm!

"Oh, don't be such a wuss! It's easy! Watch and learn!" she said while skipping next to Chloe, Kathy, Luke and a ready-to-flee looking Bo. Once Angela positioned herself in between Chloe and Kathy, the group began swinging their hips left and right, lifting their arms and started a complex dance routine. Left step, step, step; right hand swirling, swirling, swirling; fists to the hips and left, right, left, right… '_Good Goddess, how can anybody dance that thing!'_ Arms up, 1, 2 up, 1, 2 down, throw the right one in front of you and fists to the hip again… _'I'm going to be sick…'_

"This is kind of fun, isn't it Gill?" Father approached, trying to mimic the movements without success. Once more people, including Father, joined the dancers, I decided this was unquestionably a good time for drink at the refreshment table… Jin apparently had the same thought as Angela dragged Anissa into the mess…

…

"Elli is relentless, isn't she?" Angela commented as she joined me at the refreshment table once the Caramelldansen was over.

"Yes she is, poor Owen…" I agreed while watching the interaction between my friend and the red hair.

…_But I don't feel like dancin' when the old Joanna plays…_

"Elli, I don't feel like dancing!"

_My heart could take a chance but my two feet can't find a way__…_

"Nonsense, Owen! You'll have fun just like everybody else!" said the nurse while grooving against the blacksmith.

_You'd think that I could muster up a little soft shoe gentle sway__…_

"Why don't you dance with Luke? I'm sure as hell he'll be a better partner than me!" he protested, but began moving as well.

_But I don't feel like dancin' no sir no dancin' today_

"Could be, sure, but I want to dance with **you**. Got a problem with that?" answered Elli curtly.

_Don't feel like dancin', dancin'  
Even if i find nothin' better to do  
Don't feel like dancin', dancin'  
Why'd you break down when I'm not in the mood?  
Don't feel like dancin', dancin'  
Rather be home with no one when I can't get down with you_

"No, ma'am…" he said as he began dancing in earnest.

"I thought so…"

Angela and I looked at each other and chuckled.

…

I never thought I'd find pleasure in a song Father liked. I mean, he's into Tom Jones and other crazy singers but Bon Jovi actually sounds great…

_So hold me close better hand on tight  
Buckle up, baby, it's a bumpy ride  
We__'re two kids hitching down the road of life  
Our world, our flight_

…and even I could find funny when Taylor and Chloe began jumping like crazy fools in the center of the dancefloor. However, for some reason, it irked when Owen dragged Angela to jump next to them…

_If we stand side by side (all night)  
There__'s a chance we'll get by (and its alright)  
And I'll know that you'll live  
In my heart 'till the day I die_

…

"**Jump** Gill!" Chloe commanded as Angela sung.

_I'm Alive, I'm Alive, oh yeah  
Between the good and bad is where you__'ll find me,  
Reaching for heaven.  
I will fight, and I'll sleep when I die,  
I'll live my life, I'm Alive!_

"I **am** jumping! I just can't get as high as you can, Princess!" I laughed while trying to match the girl's uncoordinated moves.

_Every lover breaks my heart,  
And I know it from the start,  
Still I end up in a mess,_

"Come on, Taylor! Let's show them how it's really done!" Luna interrupted. Taylor took Chloe's hand and began twirling her around for her delight. Luna and I began a kind of complicated _swing_ choreography, one Shelly had taught us for the Arts Festival when we were children. I had almost forgotten how fun was to dance with Luna, albeit at the time I was too embarrased to enjoy it properly.

_Every time I second guess.  
All my friends just run away,  
When I'm having a bad day,  
I would rather stay in bed, but I know there's a reason._

"I was dying to dance with you again!" she said as we whirled. "I knew that you still were a fine dancer!"

"It was always fun to dance with you," I said, "You were the only girl who didn't step on my toes!"

_I'm Alive, I'm Alive, oh yeah  
Between the good and bad is where you'll find me,  
Reaching for heaven.  
I will fight, and I__'ll sleep when I die,  
I'll live my life,  
I'm alive!_

We laughed and continued our routine for everyone's amusement, even if Angela's voice wavered in some notes…

…

"Maya, I have **no** idea of how to control this thing!" I screeched for what felt the hundredth time as Maya tried to instruct me into running the DJ's booth while she was off to dance with Chase.

"Gill, come **on**! You are the only one intelligent enough to control this! Let's review it one more time: CD's go here and the equalizer is over there –turn it up and down to get the best of the beat. After, here's the channel mixer if you feel bold and don't forget to hit the CD mixer once the song is about to end, this is very important! And steer clear from the turntable; even **I** don't know how that works yet… So here, the song is already on so just watch it!"

_Let's dance in style,  
Let's dance for a while  
Heaven can wait,  
We're only watching the skies  
Hoping for the best  
But expecting the worst  
Are you going to drop the bomb or not__?_

'Ok, ok, I think I got it…' I thought to myself while trying on the headphones. I was starting to feel it…

_Let us die young or let us live forever  
We don't have the power  
But we never say never  
Sitting in a sandpit,  
Life is a short trip  
The music's for the sad men_

'Hmmm, let's tune up the equalizer a bit. Yep, yep, this is good, this is good…'

_Can you imagine when this race is won??  
Turn our golden faces into the sun  
Praising our leaders,  
We're getting in tune  
The music's played by the madmen_

"Thumbs high Gill!" Angela mouthed from the center of the dance floor. Then she began twirling with Toby, who looked more awake than I had ever seen him before.

_Forever young, I want to be forever young  
Do you really want to live forever  
Forever -- and ever_

Angela whispered something to her partner's ear that made him blush and laugh heartily. She then took his hand and pulled him out of the dance floor –and herself out of my view. Trying to follow them, I leaned on the CD mixer…

_**I like big butts and I can not lie**__**!  
You other brothers can't deny  
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist…**_

'Damn!'

"**Giiiiiiiiiiiillllllllllllllllllll !!!!!!!!!!!" **Maya's voice shrilled from an unknown place in the chuckling crowd. I took off my headphones and ran… Just ran…

…

"Gill, do you know where are Ramsey or Owen?" Anissa asked me as Candace and I returned from the dance floor. Jin was behind her carrying a sleeping Taylor on his back.

"Ramsey already went home…" Candace whispered, "And Owen is at the Inn with Kathy, dropping some boxes I think…"

"Well, that represents a problem…" a new voice interjected. Angela came from behind Jin, carrying Chloe in her arms. The girl, as Taylor, was fast asleep. "The Princess here is far too young to resist being awake at this hour," she smiled fondly at the child. "We need to take her home"

"I'll take her," I offered. "I was going to head home soon anyways"

"No way!" Angela protested, stepping back. "It's only quarter to 12! You can't possibly be leaving!"

"Angela, hush! You're going to wake Chloe!" Anissa scolded as she watched the girl squirm for a bit and then continue to sleep.

Angela closed her mouth in repentance but kept giving me the evil eye. I sighed, "Ok, let's make a deal. Let me take Chloe home and I'll come back and stay until at least 12:30. What do you say?"

She deposited Chloe in my arms. "I don't trust you! Knowing your misanthropic nature, you'll take this chance to escape. I'll go with you and make sure you come back!" she huffed as she lead the way out. I just shook my head and followed her, pointedly ignoring the amused looks of Candace, Jin and Anissa behind my back.

…

We made small talk on our way to the Blacksmith's. Suddenly, I remembered something I had meant to ask her.

"Angela, the day the rainbow appeared, you told me you and I had met before. I have thought a lot as of where we could have met but I don't really remember…" I trailed off as she looked at me, surprise written on her face.

"You don't remember? Well, I can't say I'm surprised, I mean, I looked very different back then. I had black, long, straight hair and wore black contacts. I even wore obscure make up and all. Let's say I was through a phase…" she reminisced.

"Ah, now that makes sense… But I still can't remember…."

"Give me one two more weeks, until the next rainbow, and I will tell you," she winked. We had reached Ramsey's and she knocked the door.

"What! Until the next rainbow?! How do you know when the next rainbow is going to appear?!" I demanded as quietly as possible. She just shrugged and smiled mysteriously.

I wasn't about to be contented with that but Ramsey opened the door and instructed us to come in. Angela waited in the shop while I went upstairs and deposited Chloe on her bed. The child smiled and snuggled into the pillow, her dreams pleasant. Afterwards, I went downstairs, where Ramseys was examining Angela's leg:

"The stitches kind of opened but it's nothing serious. I told you, you shouldn't have danced but you're as stubborn as a mule!" the elder sentenced as he got up from the floor and walked to the cabinet behind the counter. Angela noticed my presence; she blushed, covering her leg as quick she could.

"Does it hurt a lot?" I asked, kneeling before her and trying to lift her dress so I could see the wound.

The farmer shrieked and held her dress down. "Don't try to look under my dress, pervert!"

My face burned as I leapt up from the floor. "I would never… I mean, I was just trying to check the wound!"

"Pervert, pervert, pervert, pervert!"

"Angela, Gill, shut up! You are going to wake up Chloe!" Ramsey bellowed from behind the counter.

"Sorry" we both chorused, much more quietly.

Finally, he cleaned Angela's wound (**I** had to face the **wall** at Angela's request!), bandaged her leg and sent her out instructing me to take her straight home. The girl protested, since she wanted to go back to the party, but the elder was adamant. She took my arm and we began slowly making our way to her home; we were able to hear the songs from the party even here. Maya was going to need many aspirins by the time the party was over.

"This is my favorite song, you know?" she spoke suddenly when we were a bit past the Carpentry. Then, she began singing softly. "_You know I've landed somewhere south of my mind/ From you I get a feeling that's opened _﻿_my eyes/ __There's something in the air tonight/ Every sparkle, every star is shining bright…"_

"_Never will a mountain be too hard to climb and there's no river too far or wide…You'll never miss beat if you heart is free…With you is where I'll be."_

She let go of my arm and began dancing softly as she sang. A few steps after however, I had to rush because her leg gave out. Seeing her dissapointment, I knew my Prince Charming act had still one more duty: I placed my arms around her waist and held her as we danced. We couldn't move much, I mean, dirt is not the best dancefloor, but somehow that didn't matter. All of a sudden, she stopped dancing and mumbled something I couldn't understand. I asked her to repeat it:

"I said…Gill…" she whispered, "Can I kiss you?"

I took a step back, seriously surprised. "Angela, why…" She had the cowboy of her picture, didn't she?

She blushed and insisted, "Only once, just for tonight… Then we'll go back to the friends you want us to be…"

This was one of the few times my body moved on its own, I can't explain it. My hands cupped her face; I brushed a strand out of the way and leaned in to kiss her. I felt everything: the wind around us, her hands on my arms, the music blaring somewhere, the crickets making their noise and her lips pressed against mine in a chaste kiss. My tongue slithered without my consent and gained entrance to her mouth, finding hers and battling against it. Her arms curled around my neck and mine around her waist, blindly leaning her to the nearest tree; my knees were trembling and I didn't think it would be long until they sent us both tumbling to the floor. My heart was beating wildly and I feared it would stop in any minute. Sincerely, I wouldn't have cared…

Soon, much too soon, I felt her face parting from mine and her labored breath on my neck. As I took gulp of air and grabbed her chin to face me again, something I later learned was a paperweight hit my back. Hard! Enraged, I looked around to find Dale's stern countenance showing up from a second floor window of the Carpentry. Puzzled now, I stared at the man but his thumb signaled that we were about to have company; effectively, not before long, I could hear Luna and Owen's frantic voices calling for us. Thanking the man with a nod, I pulled a dazed farmer from the tree and arranged my hair and clothes.

"We're here!" I shouted, to attract their attention.

Owen ran to us and saw a blushed Angela grabbing my arm. "Is she sick? Granpa told me you were taking her home 'cause her stitches opened…"

"They didn't open, just bleeding a little, so Ramsey told Gill to help me home. I can't walk two steps on my own without falling, I'm afraid" the girl laughed while placing her free hand behind her head.

"I have a better idea," said Luna as she threw Angela her cape. The farmer grabbed it and placed it over her shoulders. "Gill lives in the Town and so do I. Now that Owen's here, why doesn't he take Angela to her house and Gill escorts me instead? That way I'll arrive safely and so will Angela"

"I have an even better idea," the farmer retorted, "Why don't _you_ go home on your own, Gill takes me to my house that is not that far and Owen is allowed to get some sleep? He's been helping with the party and I'm sure having to escort me at a turtle's pace to my house **and **having to go back to his own would be just taking advantage of his good will…"

I was beginning to agree with the farmer when Owen took a couple of steps towards us, scoop Angela on his arms and began walking away from us. "Not a problem Angie! I'll carry you to your house and then go back to mine in a flash!"

"Owen, put me down! I'm far too heavy and we're both gonna fall!"

"Nonsense Angie!"

Luna and I watched as the pair bickered their way out of sight. Feeling a bit confused, I turned to a beaming Luna.

"Ready to escort me, you Majesty?" she asked coyly.

I smiled noncommittally and offered her my arm, walking in the opposite direction. I turned my look to the second floor window, where Dale was negating with his head, as if I had done something wrong…

…

We arrived to the Town shortly after and I was dead tired by the time we reached Luna's house. It was dark, so I assumed Shelly and Candace hadn't returned yet.

"Do you want to have a cup of coffee before you go?" Luna offered from her doorstep.

"Hmm, maybe some other time. I am really tired tonight…" I yawned. All I wanted was to go home, write in my diary and converse with my pillow.

Luna nodded and threw her arms around my neck, kissing me. "Well, then the princess deserves a good night's kiss, doesn't she?"

She smelled like her usual floral fragance, the wind again played with her curls and also with her cape. She tried to deepen the kiss but I stepped back. Now that I knew how it felt to want to kiss someone, I was definitely sure I didn't want to kiss her again.

"Luna, don't…"

"It's Angela, is it? That's why you don't want to kiss me, isn't it?" she said, placing her fists on her waist.

"I… I think whatever I felt for you is in the past, like a very good memory of what could have been…"

"I love you Gill! Isn't that enough?" she pleaded with sad eyes. "She would be better off with Owen and you know it!"

"Perhaps," I conceded, "But I know I wouldn't be better off with you nor you with me…"

That is how my night ended. I ran home, ignoring Luna's calling, and locked myself in the study, where I'm penning these words. Now I know why Dale was negating with his head; **I** was the one supposed to take Angela home! I should have stopped Owen and left Luna to fend for herself.

I'm going to Angela's house! Maybe Elli's right… maybe I do have a crush on her…

I'm taking the diary; there's no way I'll leave it here in the study for Father to find…

_**Gill**_

…………………

_Owen_

As I was coming back from the Inn, I was intercepted by the last person I thought would try become my ally.

"Hey, you! Where were you?" a little, pink haired girl shouted at me. Luna, I think it was, though I hadn't really spoken to her.

"Why do you care?" I answered while brushing her off. Angela was right in kicking this cheeky dwarf's butt.

"I care because Gill is with Angela right now, in Goddess knows where, all alone!" she shrieked as discreetly as she could. Now the dwarf was making sense!

"Why? What happened?"

"Your little cousin fell asleep and Angela tangled Gill into accompanying them to your house to drop the kid. They were supposed to be right back, according to my sister, and obviously they aren't!"

"How long ago they left?" I asked, fumbling for the light in my watch.

"About 30 minutes or so! Stupid Luke asking me to dance just when Gill had finished with Candace… Take me to your house, hurry! Or else that little vixen is going to do Goddess knows what to Gill!" she said, jumping desperately next to me.

"Stop that! Angie is not like that!" I said, seriously angering. "Don't badmouth Angela! She has just a crush on Gill, but since he doesn't notice her, it'll all be gone before she knows it."

"Are you an idiot or what? If you don't make your move soon, she'll seduce Gill! Don't you want her for yourself?"

"Luna, I don't think…"

"DON'T YOU?"

"YES!" I yelled, dragging some of the dancers' attention. "Geez, stop shouting!"

"Then lead me to your house before both of our chances are gone!" she said, pulling me out of the party.

We both ran towards my house, where Grandpa told us Gill had taken her home 'cause her stitches had opened. Taking the road again, we found them not too far away; Angela was leaning against Gill, visibly flushed. I asked if she was sick but then as she was explaining, I noticed her lipstick smeared in some places. I immediately looked at Gill and the same tone of red was present in his lips, though faded. I may be a fool sometimes, but I have kissed my share of women to stupidly mistake the scene for something else.

Paying no attention to Angela and Luna's discussion, I lifted the farmer into my arms and walked at once to her farm. The most distance she had from that slimeball, the better.

"Owen, put me down! I'm far too heavy and we're both gonna fall!" she said, struggling.

"Nonsense Angie!" _There's no way I'm gonna put you down so you can run to him! Not without a fight!_

…

Shortly, we were standing in front of her door, looking for her keys in the inner pockets of her cape. She thanked me and was going to close the door when I knew this was my chance. I barged in ('_not again'_ she said) and paced next to her bed. She sat on it and expectantly waited for me to talk.

"Look," I began, "I'm no good at saying fancy things, so I'll just tell it to you straight…"

"Owen, what-"

"I'm in love with you! I've been for quite a while. So…"

I couldn't continue; I know I am not good with words but my actions spoke tons. I leaned in and kissed her while she leant back onto her bed, my mouth working over hers as if trying to erase the stupid Mayor's son's kisses. She had to think only of me! Through the corner of my eye, I saw movement behind her window; a blond curl that quickly dissapeared. Thinking nothing of it, I felt Angela's hands place themselves on my chest… and then pushed… powerfully! I fell on my butt, thinking how strong the farmer was.

"Stop it, Owen!" she panted, looking mad. "I tried to give you hints but I guess I'll also have to be straight with you: I don't like you in that way. I don't see you as anything else but a big brother and one of the kindest men I have ever met…" she got up and opened the door for me. "It's better that you leave…"

Depressed, I picked myself off the floor and went through the door. But then, I had to know, "It's Gill, isn't it? You're in love with Gill…"

She hesitated but then sighed, "Yes, it's him. It's been him all along, long before I arrived to this Island. He doesn't remember but we met before."

"He stood you up, Angie! He left you all alone that day in the Firefly Festival! And he didn't stop me from taking you just now by the Carpentry! He'd rather _escort_ Luna than you! He doesn't love you!"

"I know that. I am very aware that he wants us to be friends, he's said it before…" she stated calmly.

"Then, why-"

"Because I love _him_ and not you. You are far too kind and good for me to be with you out of pity or sense of duty. You must have a woman that desires you with all her heart and wants to have you all to herself and I know that _that_ woman will never be me… I'm sorry Owen…" she finished as she closed the door, leaving outside feeling miserable.

I headed to the Inn for a good fire cocktail as only Hayden was able to prepare. I knew it. I knew that she didn't love me but I hoped, I always hoped. I still cannot believe she wants that pampered little prince over me, I just don't get it.

And speaking about pampered little princes, here was one sitting in front of the Inn, behind the square next to his house. He had his head in his hands and a green notebook next to himself. From between his hands a blond curl escaped rebelliously. '_A blond curl! He was there, at Angie's, when I was kissing her!'_

Feeling the urge to vent my frustration, I walked towards him, smiling in a hopefully confident way. As I drew near, he noticed me and his eyes went from distress to pure hate.

"Hello, little prince! Enjoying the night?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"I was, until you showed up!" he defiantly answered.

"Whoa, are we feisty today? What's the occasion?"

"You tell me!"

"Hey, hey, settle down! I just came to say hello to a fellow guy! Knowing you were in a bad mood, I would have stayed at Angie's…"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Gill said, balling his fists and trembling in rage.

"Why don't you make me, huh, little prince?" I taunted, ready for the fight. Man, I could even taste blood already.

The moment Gill crouched to launch himself against me, Hayden came out of the pub, standing effectively between us.

"What's going on here, boys?" he asked, his voice stern. "The costumers are complaining"

"Nothing, Hayden. I was just saying hello and he went all berserk and all…" I said while smirking.

Gill glared at me full of hate, mumbled an apology to Hayden for the disruption and walked briskly towards his house. Hayden just shook his head and invited me in to try his new cocktail. I shrugged and went in, noticing how the little prince left his notebook behind the billboard… Not that I was going to let him know anyways…

To be continued…


	13. The Lost Diary

Hello, hello, hello everyone! Happy New year!

Kinnetik_Ishisu here, coming back with this story for all of you to enjoy. Again, I do apologize for the time I took to update, but I wanted to deliver the best product I could think of (and I'm still not sure I did it well enough.) As a more meaningful apology, I will post 2 chapters at once so you can read a bit more.

As usual, I would like to thank lovable reviewers such as Yarbo, A Midsummer Night's Dream, R.A.A, Gabi123 and BabyKangaroo for supporting me all this time. Also, I would like to thank my new reviewers Aoikarei, barleyawake, TehLols , airtrafficstreams, sandychild ,  
ChocolatePrincess209, Riyu21 and Georgina.

So, onto the show!

* * *

**Gill**

Fall is never easy, especially when one works at the Town Hall. The day before yesterday, as I was about to update Pascal's preferences in the Town files, I couldn't find his file in the supposedly alphabetically ordered shelf. Maya had been here.

"Elli!!" I shouted in fury, "Didn't I tell you to prevent Maya from entering here?!"

The brunnette entered in a hurry, looking puzzled. "Angela always does that. Maya must have come on Friday when I was at lunch..."

"You always take too much time!"

"Gill, what's wrong with you!? You know I take less time than I'm supposed to! I have to deal with the lazy secretaries, plus, I have to keep up with you and your Father's plans for the Island, that are never ending if I may say!" shouted the exnurse, angering as well.

"Innefficiency, thy name is excuse! Get to work, Elli! There are still a lot of things to be finished before lunch today, and I won't be able to help you. I have called a meeting with the Town Elders concerning the rainbow that appeared yesterday, and I need to make copies for everyone about the background of the rainbows along with their effects on the Town."

"Gill, are you ok? I mean, I don't think all the fuss you're making about the new rainbow is necessary. I was talking to Angela yesterday, and she thinks that-"

Angela this, Angela that. I was tired of Angela, of thinking about her, "I don't care what _Angela _thinks about anything!" I shouted, interrupting whatever Elli was about to say.

"Oh, that's not true, and you know it." Elli smirked. "You may not be _in-love,_ but you definitely have a crush on her! Who knows, you may even end up married to her. That's it! That will be my New Year's resolution: getting you married!"

"Elli, that is preposterous! Besides, it's Fall already, you know? Not the best time to make crazy New Year's resolutions…"

"That's not the point now, Gill. I can feel you and Angela are in a rough patch right now; hell, she hasn't spoken about you in about 15 days, and that's unusual for her! But that's no reason to give up and--"

"Shut up woman!" I yelled, finally exploding. "When will you get that my personal life is not of your business!?" I didn't really want to know anything about Angela or anyone for that matter. I have had to stand seeing her everywhere with Luke, or Toby, or Owen. Goddess, I was beginning to hate just thinking about her. "Stay out of my life!"

Elli opened her eyes wide in shock. Then, she began glaring at me, and as I was sure she was going to skin me alive, she sobbed and fled the room in a hurry. One of the secretaries –who had been listening to the exchange no doubt, glowered at me while running after Elli. Sick and tired of everyone, I decided to go and make the copies I was bound to; I will do my job to the best of my abilities and never think of Angela Blackmoon again.

Minutes later, I was contemplating the light of the photocopying machine, trying to think about nothing. I was succeeding when Father entered the room, thwarting my plans.

"Gill! What's wrong with Elli?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I answered, defiant.

Father looked taken aback but recovered quickly, "One of the secretaries told me you scolded her, and that's why she's upset!"

I breathed deeply. "Then, if you know what happened, why do you ask? It is pointless, is it not?"

Father blinked a couple of times and then, turned to close the door. "Gill? Are you alright?" Father asked, his face curious and scared. "Ever since Chloe's party, I've seen that something bothers you..."

"What bothers me is incompetence. You know this, and incompetence is all I've seen lately. I have had to fix all kinds of files left and right, negotiate Pascal's boat's spare parts, deal with the Souffle Farm versus Gondor Farm product demand and coordinate the chaos that is the Arts Festival. Of course, let us not forget the rainbow from yesterday. Every day since Chloe's party, I've been arriving early and leaving late, because no one can help me with my job. That's what's bothering me!" I said, angry for a reason beyond me. The photocopier kept doing its job sluggisly; it seemed as determined to ruin my day as the rest of the office was.

"Gill, son, I've seen you shoulder the double of workload and still be serious and polite. Now, you behave like a spoiled teenager. I know that something is wrong!" he insisted, tapping his foot on the ground. "Elli mentioned a couple of days ago that Angela has something to do with your bad mood. Did you argue? Let me tell you that your mother and I used to argue a lot before we got together, but—"

That last comment incensed me even more. Throwing the photocopier's lead open, I grabbed the papers violently. "Why is everyone partnering me with Angela? I don't have any kind of connection with her!"

Father was genuinely surprised. "But... but I thought that..."

"You thought nothing Father! As usual! You think you know me, but you don't! So kindly, leave me be!" I shouted while storming out the door. The workers just got out of my way as if I were the devil in the flesh. '_Why aren't they working? Why is everyone looking at me as if I've gone mad? Can't someone have a bad day...week...whatever?'_

...

I went downstairs to look for a folder. As soon as I arrived, a red-eyed Elli glared and me and fled upstairs. '_Well, at least I can clear a room now...'_

I wanted to apologize, but I just couldn't; I didn't know how. I needed to be alone for a while, to set my thoughts straight. Looking at the clock, I took my keys and went to have lunch at home: I could use tomato juice after all. After some minutes, I was home, hanging my vest by the door and throwing my keys on the coffee table. Having poured a glass of cold tomato juice for myself, I went to the study, to write a bit on my diary. However, the impossible happened: it wasn't there. I looked inside the drawers, on the shelves, in my room, in Father's room, in the fridge, basically everywhere: the diary was gone!

'_Where did you leave it Gill?!'_ the voice in my head asked in panic.

'_I don't know, I don't know!"_ another voice answered while my body hyperventilated.

'_Maybe you left it at the Town Hall, in your desk. This week has been stressing after all...'_

'_Yes, yes, most likely. Let's go and see...'_ the second voice agreed while the body took the keys and the vest.

I ran to the Town Hall like a possessed man. Bursting through the door, I was pleased to see that the lobby was as empty as I left it. I took the keys out of my pocket and fumbled with the lock: the diary was not there either. I spent about an hour checking every single crevice, hole and drawer to find them empty of my diary as well:

"Ohhh, what should I do? I can't believe I lost my diary..." I panted. "I might've dropped it while I was taking a walk. I don't think I walked outside the town... Oohh, where did I put it!" I finished while crossing my arms. Suddenly, I felt I was not as alone as I presumed to be. Turning around, I saw Angela, who had been behind me for Goddess knows how long.

"Oh, it's you..." I said, trying to compose myself.

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I thought I would drop by and leave my produce before having lunch with Toby and Luke," she said while she signaled three baskets full of pumpkins, yams, spinaches and carrots. How she carried that all the way from her farm is a mystery. Maybe her goons Toby and Luke helped her. Or Owen offered, perhaps?

"W-were you listening when I was talking to myself just now?" I stuttered, evidently embarrased. She was the last person I wanted to inform I had a diary.

She doubted for some seconds, but then decided to tell the truth. "Yeah, sorry, I couldn't help it. As an apology, I'll find it for you!"

'_No way!!' _"What?! Mind your own business! I don't want _you_ looking through my diary!" I said while crossing my arms.

She looked a bit miffed. "Ok, I get it, but it's not ok for you to say it like that!"

"Whatever..." I finished, while going to my desk to straighten up the mess I had created in my search. Elli arrived a few seconds after, with some papers for Angela to sign. The farmer read the documents for some minutes, signed on the appropriate spaces and left the Town Hall, with a smile for Elli and a dark look for me.

Elli went to the shelf to file the papers. Silence loomed over us for a long time until she spoke."You insulted her as well, Gill?"

"It's not like that. It was a misunderstanding..." I answered.

"Oh, I'm sure it was..."

"Elli... look... I'm... I'm sorry... about earlier..." I said, looking at her while sitting on my chair.

She smiled gently and negated with her head. "Maya should be well watched; I know you like order so I should've checked the files on Monday when I arrived..."

"No, you shouldn't have. There was no reason for you to, if you believed they were in order. It was unreasonable for me to have expected otherwise, and for that, I'm sorry..."

Elli came and ruffled my hair; I yelled and rolled away from her. The exnurse laughed. "My serious Gill... Ever since I met you, you've been solemn. Remember that you're a 21 year-old man; you're young, and thus, bound

to mistakes. Live your life, Gill! Take risks! Even if you fail, you won't regret it..."

"Thanks...Elli"

...

_**Angela**_

"Jo, Angie! Finally!" Luke yelled over the crowd at the Inn. Chase nodded his head as I indicated the usual, and Toby waved to the chair to his left.

"We thought Gill had kidnapped you, girl! We were about to get Owen to teach him a thing or two..." Chase laughed as he brought Toby's grilled fish.

"Don't even joke about that!" I said while taking my hat off. "It's lucky that only you three know about what almost happened between him and Gill that night. Everyone would just relish to gossip about a fight!"

"Like you and Luna's?" asked Luke.

"That was me on a really bad caffeine high coupled with an obnoxious being. I was bound for disaster..."

"Whatever you say, Angie..." Chase said, smiling irritatingly as the boys laughed. I settled for drinking my orange juice, glaring darkly at them. The cook stopped laughing and looked at Luke "And what the hell happened anyways? Hayden just told me there was about to be blood when he got out"

"No idea," answered the carpenter. "Owen just said Gill got on his nerves and viceversa, and that it was a shame Hayden had interrupted the would-be fight…"

After everyone had their food, the afternoon gathering went smoothly. Chase took his lunch break and joined us, telling stories about his life in the city. Then, we talked about our respective pasts: Luke's mom and Mira's husband had died about two years before I came to the Island. Gill's mother had also died, but about six months before I came.

"She had been sick for a long time," Toby commented. "I remember I had to fax Gill a message for him to come home once she took a turn for the worst..."

"Home from where?" Chase asked. He hadn't been living in Waffle Town for a long time.

"He was in the Eastern City University, last time I knew," Luke answered. "The town's condition and his mother's forced him to come back. A cousin of mine that was in some of his classes says he was brilliant..."

"Oh, so that's what happened..." I mused out loud. The men looked at me, evidently puzzled. I waved them off while putting on my hat and rose to pay my bill; I still had to go and bother Cain to come check my cow. It was going to have a calf any day now, and I needed training to know what to do in that case. Luke and Toby rose, saying that they had to go too; Chase picked up our dishes and bid us off.

Once out the Inn, the wind was so strong it blew my hat. I saw it fly from my head to its freedom:

"Get it Luke, get it!" I told the taller than I carpenter as I uselessly jumped to retrieve it.

"I am an axeman, not a giraffe," answered Luke while using his ax to catch the elusive garment.

"Wait you fool! You're gonna give it a tear and ruin it!"

"What do you want, woman? A torn hat or no hat at all?!"

Toby joined our struggle, but in a more intelligent way. Breathing deeply, he took out his fishing cane and casted it into the air. After a moment, my straw hat was caught in the hook. Toby began to pull the line; the hat descended from the air and fell onto the ground, where it got stuck on something behind the billboard in front of the Inn.

"It's stuck Angie…" said Toby. "Better go and see what it is before I ruin your hat"

I went behind the billboard, and yes, my hat was stuck on a root. As I untangled it, I noticed a green notebook not far from my position. The notebook had a not so conspicuous dark green capital "G" engraved on its cover. _'Blimey! This is Gill's Diary!'_

"You need help Angie?" asked Luke approaching.

Quickly, I took the notebook and concealed it as best as I could in my tool belt. "No, it's all right, I got it…"

I rushed to join the boys, who walked with me to the Caramel Falls intersection. After they were out of sight, I ran back to the Town Hall, to find the blond whom the diary belonged to.

...

Entering the Town Hall, I found Gill reading some papers. Well, attempting to read, since his mind was obviously elsewhere. He neither noticed me, nor the crack the door made when I entered.

I decided to play a little prank; crawling to his desk, I crouched from his view:

"Pssst… Gill…" I whispered in a small voice.

"Eh?"

"Giiiiill…"

"Who…who is it?" asked the Mayor's son in an insecure voice.

"I am the Sprite of Christmas Past…"

"There's no Sprite of Christmas Past!" said the man, while looking around.

"Yes, there is, and I am heee...." I muttered eerily while trying to contain my giggles. "You have to pay for your sins..."

"What?!"

"Yeeeessss... You are way too serious for your own goooood... And you mistreat Elli and Angelaaaaa... If you waaant to recover your diary, you'll have to apologize to theeemmm..."

"Angela, stop this nonsense!" demanded a voice from behind me. Since I was too caught up in my demands, Gill had located me and was standing with his fists on his waist, glaring at me.

I got up in a flash, facing him with a smirk. I took out the diary from the confines of my tool belt, "I found it! It was behind the billboard in front of the Inn!"

His face transfixed from annoyance to embarrassment. He took it from my hands in a flash, visibly blushed, "What?! Y-You didn't read it, did you?"

I nodded. "Of course I read it. After that, I lent it to Luke, Chase and Toby, who had a good laugh over it. I was just wondering if you could lend it to me just for a few minutes so I could show it to Elli and the Mayor..."

"Angela! How could you?!" Gill shouted in outrage while clutching the book to his chest.

I laughed and patted his head, "Relax, cupcake! No one read it, not even I. Although, I'm really curious to see what you could have written that nobody should see..."

He breathed again and huffed, "H-Hmph. I guess I should show my appreciation. Th-Thank you..."

An awkward silence fell over us. Gill kept the book close to his chest, and I somehow felt there was something was bothering him. Ever since Chloe's party, I felt that he was avoiding me. Maybe he was upset because I wanted him to kiss me, and yet, I knew he enjoyed it. Or perhaps that's want I wanted to think.

"Well... I guess I should be leaving. I still have to go to Cain's and then to the mine..." I said while adjusting my hat.

"Do you _have_ to go to the mine?" Gill whispered. I just stared, unsure of what I had heard. The blond continued, "I mean… you don't need the extra income. I've seen the money your crops give you, and it's a lot..."

"Well... It's good money, yeah, but I need to fix my barn and coop, you know? Winter is just around the corner and if there's a blizzard, my poor animals may freeze…" I said. Deep down, aside from the barn and coop, I also wanted a bigger house. When I went to ask Dale for an expansion, I had thought that I would need a bigger house if I married, in part because I had met Gill. Now, the thought was almost ludicrous... "If I manage to mine until nightfall, I'm sure I'll get a lot of ore to sell..."

"Yes, along with a black lung…"

I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest, "You sound just like Jin! I am a grown-up woman; I can take care of myself."

Gill huffed back and walked to his desk. "Good luck, then. Be careful, though. I don't want to be awakened by a half-crazed Owen pounding on Elli's door because you couldn't _take care…_"

I flinched when I heard Owen's name. The guy liked me; he was nice, hardworking and good looking. Why couldn't I like him back? Why was I in love with this selfish, little…"Don't worry. I don't want that either..."

I walked out the door, feeling the fall wind chill me to the bone: '_I am not going to pass out! I'll just mine for a little while and that's it.'_

Or so I thought. How was I to know the rocks were going to be especially greedy today and leave only copper behind every smash? Jin was definitely _not_ amused when Owen woke him up, carrying me to the Clinic near midnight…

…….

_Fall 16, xxx1_

_I must really be careful about my diary. I shudder to think of what could have happened if it had fallen in evil *cough, cough, Luke's* hands, for example. Thankfully, Angela found it before anything happened. She told me it was behind the billboard in front of the Inn. Dangerous, really dangerous…_

_ Anyway, Angela told me nobody had touched it and even she herself hadn't read it. If it were other than her, I wouldn't believe them, but Angela has something that makes me trust her. But I do __**not**__ have a crush on her like Elli suggests! That woman! She has made "getting Gill married" her personal mission! Me? A crush on a farmer like Angela? Preposterous! Anyways, she has a lot to choose from like that simpleton of Owen the blacksmith or that narcoleptic Toby, who are so disgustingly obvious in their affection for her, it makes me want to puke. However, as the future mayor of this town, I should advise her about her choices. She __**is**__ a very successful farmer after all, so many leeches may try to seduce her because of her money *cough, cough, Toby*. She should look for someone who has a position in the town, also a respectable job and the ability of helping her negotiate and such. Naturally, that someone should belong to a respectable family, of good breeding of course, not like certain half-crazed axe man with wood for a brain… _

_ Yes, perhaps I should ask her out for lunch tomorrow and discuss about her job and the like. And also I should scold her for passing out so often in the mines! I had totally forgotten! Hmmm… I should make a list_

_Gill_


	14. An Executive Farmer

Hi, hi, hi! Remember, this is the second of the 2 chapters I uploaded at once. If you haven't read the past one, I suggest you do XD

* * *

**Fall ****18th, XXX1**

"Gill! What on Earth is going on with you?! " Elli screeched as soon as she went through the door yesterday in the morning. I was genuinely puzzled as she placed her purse inside her desk's drawer and stalked towards me.

"Elli, you are aware that I am your boss, right?" I said, hoping to dissuade her of murdering me, as her eyes clearly intended.

"How did you manage get Jin to sedate Angela in your _sole_ visit to the Clinic!?" the ex-nurse demanded.

"She's still sedated?"

"Of course! She would try to get up otherwise and go to work on her farm! And Irene says it's entirely your fault!"

"Can we not forget that _she_ was the one who passed out –again— in the mines, against all better judgment and advice, leaving her farm in a precarious, unattended situation? Someone had to point that out instead of cooing all over her as if she were a baby…" I said, while eyeing the clock. It was 11 a.m.

"Grrrr! How am I going to get you married is beyond me!" Elli said while throwing her arms up in the air and stomping upstairs.

Angela—when isn't it about her? —had gotten herself into a mess, again. After I told her not to pass out in the mines, she goes and does exactly that (just to spite me, for sure!) Jin knocked at our door at 1 a.m. to ask Father if he could open one of the boxes with medication that had arrived from Eastern City a couple of days ago. Apparently, somewhere inside the packages was the specific inhaler Angela needed to breathe normally again. Owen hadn't been quick enough to take the farmer to the Clinic this time, since they fell through a crack in the ground, plummeting down 5 levels. While Father jogged to the Town Hall with Jin on his heels, I put on my dark red robe and strode to the Clinic. As soon as I arrived, I saw a grumpy Irene (with hair rollers all over her head) disinfecting Owen's left leg: he had a deep cut on his calf.

"Upstairs" Irene said as she noticed me. Owen looked ready to protest, but he had to grit his teeth to avoid crying like a baby: Irene had poured an insane amount of alcohol all over the wound. The woman was definitely a sadist; I almost felt bad for the blacksmith. Almost…

I took the stairs two steps at the time and soon found Angela's room. I walked in, finding the farmer lying on the bed, slumbering, with an oxygen mask strapped to her face. I have to admit that I felt pained to see her like that: it was like a déjà vu of last year, when Mother was on the very same bed, breathing with difficulty through a similar oxygen mask. However, while Mother hadn't been able to prevent her disease, this reckless farmer had consciously landed herself in this serious condition. My pain turned into anger as I walked next to her bed:

"Hey, wake up Miss Sunshine!" I said cynically, while shaking her awake. The farmer opened her eyes, visibly startled.

"Gill…?" she croaked, obviously disoriented.

"No, I'm the Stupid-Farmers-who-Refuse-to -Listen-to-Reason Punishing Sprite. And guess who I came to visit today?"

"Gill… I'm not… in the… mood…"

"Do I look like I care?" I said, pointing at myself. "What in the Goddess name were you thinking?! Didn't you tell me you could look after yourself?!"

"Tomorrow… Gill… please…" Angela pleaded, while trying to go back to sleep.

"No! You will listen to me now, since tomorrow you'll be your stubborn self again!" I insisted, shaking her awake again.

The farmer sighed and sat up, grabbing her mask to keep it in its place. "I am sorry…Yes, you were right… Can… you drop it… now?" she panted.

"You are irresponsible and childish! You have inconvenienced Owen more times than you care to admit and worried everyone around you! Did you know that you both fell through 5 floors in your little mine escapade?"

"Is… Owen… ok?"

"Luckily for you, I think he will be fine. He won't be able to work for a while though, not with his leg injured like that. You won't be able to work for a while after this, too."

"Nonsense…" the girl wheezed. "Tomorrow I'll … be… just… fine…"

"No, you won't. How do I know? Because Jin and my father are looking for an inhaler that costs 5000G the box, just to get you breathing normally again! You will take a lot of time to recover from this little stunt!" I said, while raising my voice. I am not a very patient man with stubborn people.

Angela frowned and began removing her mask. "I…will pay…for it… I have… enough…money" she said, breathing heavily still.

"Money is not the issue here, Angela, don't you get it? You jeopardizing your health _is_ the issue!" I shouted.

The farmer's brow went lower still: she was angry now. "Do… you think… I pass out… for fun?!" she yelled. Yelled as best as she could anyways… "I… need the… money!"

"That is no excuse to endanger one's life!" I retorted.

"Not… all… of us… have… mayors as fathers…" she said. "You may not… have to worry… about money… but I… have to…think… about it… every day…"

I was taken aback. In a way, she was right: my family was the wealthiest in town; I had never really gone through financial difficulties. "Yes, my father is the mayor, and yes, we have no financial problems." I spoke curtly. "However, that is because Father and Mother worked together to have what I enjoy now. I work hard too, even if I don't really need the money, because I know that my work can change people's lives; but you don't see me passing out that often."

"Your… job… doesn't compare… to mine…" Angela uttered. "You… don't depend… on weather… or soil… to get your money… Hell… you don't even… have… to water… crops and… feed animals… every day…"

"I know. Nevertheless, you won't be able to take care of your crops and your animals for some time. You are far too weak now for such exertions, and I'm sure Jin will demand your stay here for at least a week. During that time, who is going to take care of your livestock and crops, huh? Owen is out of the question, Anissa will be busy since it's harvest time at the Soufflé Farm, or so I've been told. Bo, Dale and Luke have their hands full with all the repairs and expansions they have been asked to do, Reneé is tending her farm with her parents, and the rest of the villagers know nothing about farming. Your animals and your crops are going to suffer because of your recklessness." I sentenced, hoping she would see my point and be more careful in the future.

Yet, Angela's reactions are always unexpected: she attempted to get off the bed, and I ran to keep her in her place. Once she understood she was too weak to fight me, she began wailing loudly in frustration. I began to feel bad for her, so I awkwardly patted her head, making shushing noises, as when Chloe cried, hoping she would calm down. She only wailed harder…

Irene immediately thundered upstairs, with some hobbling steps behind her: Owen, no doubt. That woman was angry with what she saw: Angela hanging inelegantly from the bed, her mask forgotten in some corner, crying as if there were no tomorrow. Me, patting her head… Irene took a bedpan from a shelf and wacked my head repeatedly with it while Owen hugged Angela, trying to soothe her. Jin and Father, who had arrived some moments before, ran upstairs only to be shocked by the improbable picture we all presented. I ran to hide behind Father, a bit stunned by all the wacking done by the elder nurse. She followed me, trying to get around Father to continue administering her punishment. Owen hurried to join the old woman once Angela was being examined by Jin, as I had been the cause of the girl's distress. I ran around the room, dodging Owen and Irene like Indiana Jones, while Father ran behind me begging for an explanation of why his only son was the most wanted man in the room, in a very old western movies kind of way.

After some seconds Jin managed to get himself heard over the racket and demanded everyone out of the room at once. Minutes later, the doctor joined us downstairs where he declared Angela had suffered a nervous breakdown due to stress and outer sources (outer sources meaning me, if his fixed stare was anything to go by.) He said that the farmer was sedated at the moment and asked me to refrain myself from visiting the patient for the time being. Owen was escorted by Irene to a nearby bed, both glaring at me in ways that suggested I should keep my bedroom's door locked at night.

At 3 a.m., Father and I walked home. Once he closed the door, I expected the question.

3…

2…

1…

"Gill Hamilton. Would you care to explain why you have been the first Hamilton in seven generations to be banned from a medical facility?"

…….

Later in the morning, Elli refused to speak to me except for the very basics, as so did the secretaries (Angela's rivals because of an unknown squabble between them, Elli and the farmer, which ended in the secretaries declaring Angela a worthy opponent…) Well, I couldn't bring myself to feel bad about being ignored; I had things to do for which I appreciated the privacy being ignored conferred.

At 11 a.m., I declared I was to have lunch. Elli gave a non-committal grunt and continued stamping documents. I took my vest and ran home; I ate a sandwich, drank some juice and took the keys Father left in my night table earlier: Angela's house keys. Since we had our conversation earlier in the morning, I decided that I would be the one helping Angela. After all, she didn't decide to pass out; she just has terrible luck in the mines. I jogged towards the Caramel District, crops and animals book in hand, towards Angela's farm; upon arriving, I opened her house, got her tools and went to work.

First, I took care of her animals; her cow was really big: it was going to have a calf soon if Angela's projections were accurate. Then, she had a nasty little foal that kept charging at me, as if I were going to steal the fodder instead of giving it to them. 'I'm not a thief, you crazy beast!' I told it, while dodging its nose. 'I am trying to help your mistress!_'_ Surprisingly, the foal stopped, as if it had understood my words… '_Nonsense…right?' _The sheep was easy enough to please: I just brushed it carefully, fed it and she was my best friend. The foal and the cow were eyeing her evilly, as you would a traitor. 'Angela should keep more animals like you, little fellow' I said while petting her.

As soon as I finished feeding her chickens (the one in a space labeled 'Mr. Book' was especially vicious…), I decided to tend her crops. Endless lines of what looked like carrots, bell peppers and rice adorned her field in neat rows; watering wasn't half as difficult as I was expecting, though as exhausting as I anticipated. I arrived to my home around 9, completely worn out. As I fumbled for my keys, a hand posed itself on my shoulder: Elli was looking at me in a very puzzled way.

"Gill, " she began, eyeing me from head to toes. "You'll hate it, but I have to ask. What the hell happened to you?"

I looked at myself and realized I was covered in dirt and other substances I dared not think about. "Isn't it obvious woman? I was working."

"That I can see; but normally office work doesn't leave you looking like Robinson Crusoe…"

"Let's say it was field work…" I shuffled, growing uncomfortable by the moment. I wouldn't hear the end of it if Elli discovered I was helping Angela with her farm.

"Hmmm… Watering and stuff?" she inquired raising her eyebrow.

"Watering and stuff indeed." I finished, returning to the search for my keys.

"What are you going to do with the Town Hall's work?" Elli asked.

I looked at her in surprise: I was positive she would want to coax more information out of me. Useless as it would be, though, since I knew she was more than aware that, by this point, I had been at Angela's all afternoon and good part of the evening. "I'll arrive extra early and do it. Then, I'll leave at lunch to the _field_ work. I've already spoken with Father, and he has no problems about it…"

She shook her head, smiled and went on her way. "You've changed Gill, you know?"

I smirked as I found my keys. "Yes, I know…" Before she entered her house, I just wanted to make sure of one thing, "Can I count on your discretion?" I didn't want Angela finding out.

"Sure!"

……

The next day, I made sure to pack Father's old overalls and a black shirt in a bag. I decided against packing a lunch, since I could come home to eat before going to Angela's farm. Arriving to the Town Hall at 7 a.m, I found all the secretaries --Elli included-- working as if there were no tomorrow.

"Elli, what on Earth...?"

She jumped from her seat and dragged me to the library. "Everyone is waiting for you! There is a meeting to organize the Harvest Festival, and everyone is expecting you to discuss about the stands and what not."

"Where's Father?"

"He said he was going to Toucan Island for business..."

Business in Toucan Island meant sunbathing. Father was practically allergic to Festival Meetings. I flinched inwardly, since those kind of meetings normally took until lunch. '_I guess I'll be going to bed late tonight_' I thought, since the work at the farm took more than 9 hours. Sighing, I entered the library, where Ruth and Yolanda were already arguing about the main stand next to the entrance to the Town Hall Plaza...

Miraculously, I was able to finish the distribution of the stands before 1 p.m. As I reached my desk, ready to tackle the mountain of paperwork, I found that most of it was finished. The few remaining documents were just in need of my signature. I looked around and saw the secretaries and Elli throwing accomplice looks at each other. I tried to ignore the fact of most of the Town Hall's staff being suspiciously early, or suspiciously efficient, but when I found a big lunchbox next to the already done paperwork, I knew that Elli's definition of discretion was totally different from mine. And that I was thankful for it.

I grabbed my lunch, bowed my head slightly on the women's direction and ran out of the Town Hall, towards the Caramel District.

_**Gill**_


	15. Of Tailors and Moonlight

Hi everyone! Here updating again (and sooner than expected too XD)

Hope you like it! I'm planning already how to get them together and close the story, so, any petitions or suggestions will be welcome.

And last, but not least, thanks to A Midsummer Night's Dream, Gabi123, Kohana92, Riyu21 and Butterfree for their kind comments :D

* * *

_**Angela **_

It was 11 a.m. when Jin declared me healthy enough to go home; but really, I wasn't feeling anywhere near well. While my friends had been around during the last two weeks, since the incident, I hadn't seen Gill. It's no wonder, though, since he was banned from the Clinic because of me. And the worst thing was that he was right in every little thing he told me that day: I had been a fool.

Anissa told me that someone went to my farm everyday to feed my animals, so I wasn't very concerned about them: maybe Reneé had been nice enough. However, Anissa said that neither she nor Taylor had been by my farm, so they didn't know what had happened with my crops. Basically, I could assume my crops were dead.

I sat on the Clinic's sidewalk, thinking about what to do. I needed money to pay for new seeds and also to support myself until I could harvest those. Jin's bill had been expensive, but I had refused to leave without paying; one thing my mother managed to hammer into my head was never to be in anyone's debt. Even if I hated Mother, and I am glad the old witch is dead, I still practice some of her preachings. They're useful up to a certain extent; which lead me to a new idea: part time jobs. Earlier in the year I had worked everywhere to earn some dough, and I could do it again. If I worked at the Town Hall like in Spring and part of Summer, I could get enough to buy the things I needed and survive on microwave soups. I was ashamed to show my face around Gill, but the Town Hall was the best paying place after the Fishery, that was closed today. With a heavy heart, I trudged to the stairs…

Once I arrived, I knew it wasn't going to be good. Elli and Gill were nowhere to be seen, and the only ones around were Katinka—the leader of the Secretary Gang, and my own pink nightmare Luna. As soon as they took in my presence, similar evil smirks drew in their faces. Here went nothing…

"Good morning ladies," I said with my most polite intonation.

"Good morning. May I help you?" said Katinka in a false customer-service voice. I couldn't blame her; ever since the fight Elli and I had with her gang, it was an understatement that there would be no peace anytime soon.

"Actually yes, you see, I'm looking for a part time job…" I muttered, refusing to elaborate. I was sure everyone knew I had ended up -yet again- in the Clinic in the middle of harvest time, and thus, losing my crops because of my stupidity…

"Oh, yes, figures… Well, I'm sorry, but there are no vacancies at the moment. You may want to try the day after tomorrow…" she said, not sounding sorry at all. Luna giggled and went back to signing some papers.

I trembled with fury. "Ok… May I speak to Gill or Elli then?"

"Ms. Elli is on Toucan Island with the Mayor and young Mr. Hamilton is not available at the moment" Katinka answered mechanically, showing I hadn't been the first one to ask for them.

Swallowing my pride, I tried for one more time. "Are you sure there isn't anything I could do? I mean, I'm good at filing, typing and even cleaning. Multitasking and all…"

"Sorry. Perhaps you should go back to your farm, and I'll give you a call if there's anything for you to do here, ok?" she finished, looking at me in a way I couldn't decipher. Sighing, I put on my hat and walked out of the Town Hall, under the midday sun.

...

Spotting a bench near the clock, I sat over there to contemplate my options. Perhaps I could go to Old Bat Craig's and help his family planting and stuff. Craig is fair in the payment, even if he doesn't pay much. Then, I could forage some items and put them in the shipping bin before 5. As I was preparing to execute my plan, Luna skipped out the Town Hall and saw me. Before I could escape, and to my surprise, she walked over and threw her purse at me.

"Hey!" I protested. "What's wrong with you?!"

"You needed a part time job, didn't you?" she said while playing with her pigtails. "You can come to the Tailor Shop with me. I need someone masculine enough to carry the boxes with new fabrics that have just arrived."

I frowned at her antics. "What's the catch?" Another of Mother's teachings: there's always a catch.

"You need money, and I could use the help since Candace and Grandma are out gathering herbs to dye materials. Simple execution of Economics," she said while going downstairs to the Town.

"Eh?" I exclaimed. Luna helping me? The only thing missing was Gill as a farmer, and I could go to the Church and confess my sins: it's the end of the world. However, Luna misunderstood my exclamation.

" 'Eh?' what? Economics? Come on! You're a farmer; you're supposed to know what it is!" the girl said, putting her fists on her hips. "Economics is the social science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of commodities and services and with the theory and management of economies or economic systems-"

"I know that!" I interrupted, flushing. I didn't really know, but I wasn't going to tell her that…"What I meant was to sound disbelieving at you helping me! We both landed each other in the Clinic not but a season ago!"

"Yes, we did," she agreed. "Even if I dislike you and you obviously dislike me, that's no reason why I shouldn't lend hand. While I don't want you as my friend, I don't want you to starve…"

"Luna…" I murmured.

"Well, you want the job or not?!"

"Eh, yeah, sure"

"Well, go back to the Town Hall and ask Katinka for the Tailor's wooden boxes. They are about 20. I'll go ahead to the store and wait for you. Don't delay, because you'll have to stock the fabrics properly by color and material."

"Yes…"

"Yes, what?"

"Yes…boss…"

"Much better"

…

Working at the Tailor's under Luna was just what I needed to atone any major sin I may have done in my last 100 reincarnations. I swear I'll never underestimate a seamstress ever again: "Angela, the silk goes that other way! Cotton is under the counter since it's the most popular fabric! Linen goes next to the silk, since they're the most difficult to dye! No, no, no, no, stop! Don't put the nylon and the wool together! One's is manmade, the other is not! This is basic classification!"

By 7pm, I was exhausted and mentally ready to kill Luna. However, the woman took out good 2000G from the cash register and put them in my hands. "Here's today's pay. Good night!"

"Em… Luna… you gave me 2000G…"

"Yes, so?" she asked while sitting besides the sewing machine.

"It would take about two weeks of part-time jobs to raise this amount, don't you think?"

"Go away Angela, I have no time for your silliness. I have 2 dresses to finish for tomorrow."

"Thanks, Luna…"

"This is business Angela; there's no need to thank me. You work well, I pay well. Good night"

"Good night…"

Once out of the Tailor's, I whooped happily: I had enough money to buy some fast-germinating crops and be back on track in a week or so. I was about to run to the Soufflé Farm, when I saw Katinka going downstairs, heading home no doubt, after work. Realizing that the farm was most probably closed, my plan would have to wait until tomorrow morning. Happy nevertheless, I ran to my farm; my crops were dead, but my animals were still alive, and I longed to see them. I wondered if Poe, my cow, had already had her baby; how would I name it?

As I ran up to Caramel Falls, I saw tall rice plants in my field. Blinking as to vanish the image, I approached at a more sedated pace. In between the rows of plants, I saw a blond curl bobbling up and down: Gill, was examining the plants, while consulting a book on his left hand. My new sheep, which I hadn't named yet, had the watering can on her mouth and was following the Mayor's son.

"Well, Athena" he told the sheep, "This rice seems to be growing just fine. I bet we'll have a nice harvest, won't we little girl?" the sheep baaed and leaned in while he stroked her softly. "When is your mistress going to be out of the Clinic? While I like you and you like me, your other friends seem to distrust me still… According to the book, that puts them under stress. Hmmm, maybe if I create a mask of your mistress and put it on, they may suffer less…"

He closed the book and took the watering can from Athena's mouth, irrigating some still dry squares. I approached them, and the sheep started bleating. Gill immediately went to the animal and asked her what happened, noticing me seconds after. He dropped the can from the impression, its contents spilling all over the dirt.

"Hi…"

"Angela? When did you get out?" he asked, surprised still.

"This morning, but I was at Luna's all day, sorting fabrics and stuff… I supposed I was to need the money if the crops were dead…"

Gill was flushed; even in the darkness, I could see it. "I harvested them. The money is at the Town Hall; they sold well, as usual. Since you still were sick, I decided to plant rice. It's on demand in the city, so it could give you a lot of money—"

"Gill…"

"And did you know you have very loyal animals? Only this girl over here seems to like me; the rest barely tolerate me only because I feed them—"

"Yeah, I…"

"I named her Athena, I hope you don't mind. It's because Cain told me she didn't have a name yet, and it didn't sound right to call her 'Sheep A' or something along the lines. I also named Berenice, your new calf, but she's too young to remember. You may be able to change her name if so you wish—"

I interrupted the man by walking over to his side and hugging him. The knot in my throat barely let me speak, "Thank you…"

The man tensed, probably not used to physical contact. "There's no need to—"

"Yes, there is. I would have been in a dire situation along with my animals, if it hadn't been for you. I'm in your debt, Gill…"

"I'm sure Owen would have done it if he hadn't been injured. He would do anything for you" he answered a bit tensely.

I hugged him ever tighter, burying my head in the crook of his neck. "Yes, he would have. But the fact that _you_ did it is what matters to me right now. No matter what happens, no matter where we may be, I will always remember this… and you… Thank you for being you…"

He went silent for a couple of minutes, his heart beating as fast as mine. In the darkness created by the tall rice plants, he returned my hug. "Do you want to have lunch with me tomorrow?"

I smiled on his neck, breathing in his smell of mint, grass and wind. "Yes…" The moon in the illuminated the fields, wrapping us in a silver mantle, "Yes, I do…"

*****


	16. University Days

**Hello, hello!**

**Kinnetik_Ishisu here with more! I felt it was time to explain my cliffhanger about Gill and Angela's past. If you squint your eyes, you might find other characters there as well.**

**Thanks as usual to my reviewers Yarbo, Gabi123, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Kohana92, TehLols, Riyu21 and Butterfree. Also, thanks to ArieBiggestFanGirl, jadegirl411, Tara Blossom, Anon and vesperaxx, for jumping in. XD**

Enjoy!

* * *

**Fall 26th, XXX1**

After having taken care of Angela's farm for more than a week, the farmer finally recovered and returned to her home. And I finally had the courage to ask her out for lunch.

During lunch, we talked about a lot of things; it was surprisingly easy to talk to Angela.

"…And then we ran like crazy! When we went back, the police was gone, and our friend unconscious on the library floor. He thought he was going to get arrested!" Angela finished while I laughed uncontrollably. She and her friends, back in the university, were in the library dealing with a friend that was thinking of selling some dubious substances. Suddenly, the police stormed in, and the group ran in different directions; but the police was there to arrest the librarian, not them.

"Ha, ha, ha. And in which university did you study?" I asked. Angela had never told me about her life before arriving to Waffle Town. The only bit I had managed to find out was the cowboy. A bit that, I have to recognize, I didn't like one bit.

"In the Eastern City University…" she mumbled after drinking her juice.

I frowned in my coffee. "The Eastern City University? But…" I had studied there as well. '_Did you know that we have met before?'_ Angela had told me! "You told me we had met before. The day of the first rainbow, didn't you?"

Angela fidgeted for a little while, hiding her face behind her bangs. When I took a good look at her, I finally remembered: "You were the one that helped me with Bordoni and his goons that night!"

She assented, smirking a little bit. "I thought you wouldn't remember… But since I looked a bit dark in those days, I wouldn't have blamed you."

.....

Of course I remembered. I was a junior of the Politics Major back then: I had the best grades of the entire major and was envied by many, those many led by the young Marques Giancarlo Bordoni. Coming from the oldest house of Eastern City nobles, Bordoni was everything I hated in a person: pompous, impolite, cocky and dumb. And dumb as hell. Not even his green eyes, black hair and catchy smile were able to buy his grades. And because I didn't care to assist him in his academic duties, I had been labeled his enemy.

As usual on a Friday night, I had been studying for our next examination. And as usual, Bordoni's cohorts chased me out of the library. The stupid librarian was paid by the Marques so he wouldn't intrude in this obvious stomping of my rights, so I was thrown out of the building along with my books, under a merciless storm. Grabbing my umbrella, I took a stroll to cool my head. About two hours later, at 10 p.m, I returned to the Grey House –my dorm— with soggy debate books under my arms and spongy-sounding shoes encasing my feet.

However, as soon as I reached the building, I spied a figure under my _Goddess Tree_. This tree looked a lot like the one we used to have in the Island back when it was still alive, so I had dubbed it like its brother, if only to help me cope with my homesickness. I had no friends, and the few that were interested were too scared of Bordoni. A moan drew my attention back to the figure under the tree. I approached and noticed it was a woman: she had long, straight black hair and fair skin. While I advanced with my umbrella, she grabbed her side and moaned some more. I covered her from the rain, and she turned her head up to me: she had purple blotches on her face. She seemed to have been involved in a fight.

"Hey, are you drunk?" I asked. I didn't want drunken girls under my Goddess Tree.

"I'm half-dead here and all you can think of is if I'm drunk?" she retorted, looking offended. Her purple eye didn't help her case though.

"Be happy I asked at all, miss. Now, can you be so kind as to get up and leave? It's quite obvious you don't belong to the Grey House."

She tried to stand up, but her right leg couldn't support her; I threw my umbrella away as I caught her. "Damn…" she grumbled. "At this rate I won't be able to get to the Queen's House..."

That surprised me. The Queen's House was an all-female dorm for top students. Most of the pupils there later occupied important posts in Medicine, Arts and Law respectively. "Do you have a friend over there? I can call someone to come and get you if you wish…"

"No, don't!" she pleaded, while grabbing her side again and coughing. "They'll kick me out of the dorm. The Head warned me that if I was caught fighting again, she'll file my expulsion of the dorm!"

I held her as she coughed and then guided her to the dorm's steps. We sat down with difficulty. "May I ask why you are in this sorry state if you are a member of the Queen's House?" The Queen's Dorm held respectable ladies; I had heard endless tirades on their etiquette and beauty from my obnoxious roommates. Even Mother, in one of her letters, had asked me to find a girlfriend among the Queen's ladies, her having being a Queen's lady herself back in her university days.

She looked at me in surprise for three full seconds before bursting out laughing. Afterwards, she grimaced slightly, "My, my… Direct, aren't we? Let's say I'm not your average Queen's lady… "

"And yet that does not explain your behavior. Your grades should be outstanding to be in that dorm, but your manners contradict any assumption I can make about a Queen's dorm's inhabitant…"

The girl got up, going out in the drizzling rain. Stretching a little, she took little steps back and forth. "Let me tell you something about the Queen's Dorm inhabitants: those so-called _ladies_ are a group of stuck up know-it-alls that smile in your face and stab you in the back later. Believe me, as Shakespeare says, 'They speak poniards! And every word stabs!'"

"Are you sure you should be walking around?" I asked, while eyeing her grimaces in every stretch.

"Don't worry, I'm a fast healer. It's not the first time I have had to beat some drunkards into submission…" Taking in my stunned face, she hurried to explain how she was drinking with a friend who came every now and then to the city. Some men with some extra alcohol tried to hit the barman, so she and her friend interfered. The conflict escalated into a full-fledged bar fight, hence, the bruising and rib pain.

"You should have seen me and Vaughn fighting! For every punch we took, we landed 3 back. It was great!" she gushed, shaking her fist up in the air. The rain had stopped; the moon was shining from behind the feeble clouds, illuminating the girl's excited face.

"And you say you do this often?" I asked clinically while getting up. "I must point out that your behavior is highly savage and particularly unladylike…"

The woman nodded. "It may be. But if I someone is in troubles, I don't fashion to hide behind a mask of _femininity_ and _appropriateness_. The barman needed help, and I helped him by spanking a foursome of spoiled brats along with my friend. One good deed at the time," she laughed. "I like to think of myself like a 'knightess', ha ha ha"

This woman was neither tall nor short; she was also pretty average looking, with heavy gothic make-up. She was dressed with a black Polo shirt, a black and red checkered skirt, black stockings and combat boots; not necessarily what embodies my ideals of what a female should look like, much less a female knight. However, I found the concept intriguing. Before I could ask her to elaborate, we were joined by undesirable company: Giancarlo Bordoni and his followers were rounding up the corner from where I had come from.

"Hey, Gillbear!" shouted the obviously intoxicated man as he saw me. "What are you—oh, oh, oh, sorry~ I didn't know you had company…" he drawled, taking in my companion. "Considering that most of the university wants to puke when your name is mentioned, this is surprising…"

As I was about to go into the building and ignore Bordoni, the girl next to me groaned. Getting some of her long hair out of her face, she addressed the Marques, "You guys don't know when the party is over, now, do you?"

I could tell Giancarlo was about to ignore her, but he narrowed his eyes, his frown becoming more pronounced. "You… What are you doing here, witch?"

The girl crossed her arms over her chest. "Apparently getting ready to beat you into submission… Again…" she answered defiantly.

It took me seconds to understand, between the glares, that the drunkards the Goth girl and her friend had taken care of were my personal nightmare and his thugs. A cold chill ran down my spine.

Bordoni's best friend, Luciano, sneered venomously, "Your white-haired friend dealt all the punches, babe! You've got your stuff, I recognize, but you won't be able to take on all of us…" he finished, pointing to himself, Bordoni along with two more guys: Rock and Fernand.

Goth girl laughed with mirth and grabbed my arm unexpectedly: "You aren't dumber 'cause you aren't bigger, stupid dog! Here my man and I will kick your asses any day of the week, starting tonight!"

Now it was the others turn to laugh. "Him?" asked Bordoni "Gilly-willy-bear? Mr. Sissiness? Don't make me laugh witch. That guy wouldn't throw a punch to save neither his life nor yours, ha, ha, ha, ha!!"

"He's right…" I whispered to the girl, while the others laughed. "I know nothing of combat, and no matter how tough you are, you won't be able to win if you have an inexperienced person fighting alongside you…"

"Not all fights are won by the most experienced if you have the element of surprise, kid…" she winked. Disentangling from my arm, she strode to the laughing men.

Bordoni smirked and turned to the girl. "Are you going to come with, us babe? If you show us a good time, we can forgive you and your _girl_friend…"

Goth girl just smiled; Bordoni approached and touched her face. Before I could do anything, Goth girl swung her right, combat-boot covered leg into the guy's groin. The man screeched, doubling in half and painfully collapsed, his hands in between his legs. The rest of his friends knelt next to him, hurriedly asking if he was alright.

"Kill that whore!!!" he shouted, his face transfixed by fury. Leaving their leader still recovering on the floor, Luciano and the others advanced towards the already retreating girl.

Goth girl reached me and took my hand, "To the forest!!" Not wanting to think on what would happen to us if they caught up, I ran like a fool. Soon, we were dodging trees with the men right on our heels.

"Where can we go? We'll soon run out of the forest, and they'll catch up for sure!" the girl puffed.

"To the track! We can use the exit for athletes! It leads to the administrative grounds, and Bordoni won't dare chase us in there!"

"How many times have you done this before?"she asked, rounding a tree.

"Ever since I got to this place…"

"Figures…"

....

Once we reached the Sports building, she collapsed against a column. I leaned against another, hearing her heavy breathing interrupt the silence.

"How are your wounds?" I asked.

She negated with her head. "Not that good, I'm afraid…" I took a look at her face: she had blood under her left brow, and she was clutching left side again. More forcefully this time, though.

I helped her stand up and lean against me, "Come. The infirmary is nearby. We should find something to patch you up with."

We hobbled through the deserted corridor. The infirmary's door was but a few steps away. "How do you know this place?"

"I am member of the track team." I answered. I took some keys out of my pocket, browsing for the correct one. "I used to end up here often, especially during the Summer competitions. Jumping obstacles while running is not an easy feat for beginners."

Once in the room, I began looking for bandages and alcohol to disinfect the wounds. To my surprise, she took off her shirt, staying only in her bra. I blushed and turned around quickly, facing the wall.

"Put on your shirt woman!" I asked urgently.

"Aren't you going to treat me?" she retorted.

"Yes… but… but…"

"Then do so, you wuss, and be done with it!" she said, just as flushed as I was. She crossed her arms over her chest, covering herself as best as she could.

Breathing deeply, I approached with the bandages. I had no time to be embarrassed; the ribs below her right breast were turning purple. "Hmmm… I think you'll have to go to the hospital. You may have some broken ribs…"

"Damn… I'll get expelled from the dorm for this…"

I began bandaging her up as carefully as I could. Later, I took a cotton ball, soaked it in alcohol and began working on her brow. "This will sting a bit..."

"Damn you!!" she shouted as the cotton touched her forehead.

"You can stand a beating and broken ribs but not alcohol? Who's the wuss now?"

"Oh, shut up!"

I laughed and continued my work. But I wouldn't be laughing for long: Luciano and his friends had reached the building, amidst cackles and curses. I threw the cotton in a tray and ran to the window: the thugs were in the track, kicking the hurdles into the air.

"Gilly-willy! Where are you man?" he shouted. "I swear we will destroy everything until you show up your wussy face!!"

Goth girl slithered in her shirt as quick as she could and reached me by the window. "I have a plan" she said, "I'll go and lure them out. You call security and have them come here."

I looked at her: she was clutching her side still, and her left eye was barely open. It definitely wasn't her turn to be a 'knightess'. Negating with my head, I shrugged off my vest and took off my tie. I opened the window and climbed by it: "I run faster. I'll lure them"

"But…but"

"Wait here!" I said, jumping out.

As I touched the ground, I ran towards the three guys, reaching them in no time. Rock licked his lips, Luciano laughed and Fernand cracked his knuckles. I raised my fists, though I wasn't really sure how I was to avoid getting kicked by the three men. Suddenly, I heard Goth girl's voice from the distance:

"Gill!! What are you doing?! Run!!!"

"I will face them!" I shouted back. "I won't run anymore!" Even if it was a mystery still the part about not getting landed in the hospital.

"That's nice, cupcake!! But fight them one at the time!!" she yelled. "Otherwise you won't tell the tale!!!"

'_That's right!'_ I thought. '_One at the time. They can't attack me all at the time if they can't catch me _all_ at the same time!' _So I ran like hell; seconds later, Bordoni's thugs were right behind me. Rock, being the lightest of the three, was stepping on my heels in no time. Once I deemed him to be close enough, I suddenly stopped and head-butted him. Since he was slightly taller than me and wasn't fast enough to stop, my head embedded itself in his chin. The man cried in pain and fell on the floor, grabbing his face.

"Way to go, blondie!!" Goth girl shouted, her voiced amused. "Teach them a thing or two!"

Rubbing my head, I took off once more. "Don't call me blondie!!" I yelled while Luciano jumped over Rock and continued the chase. I was running out of track, and he wasn't that close for me to perform the stunt from before. All of a sudden, one of racing hurdles came into my sight. I had only one chance: I dove to the hurdle, grabbed it and immediately swung it around, straight to Luciano's temple. The man tried to step back, but the hurdle was too long for him to evade. I swear I could even see splinters as the piece of wood crashed in his face.

Panting, I stopped, crouching a bit with hurdle in hand, waiting for Fernand. However, the big guy just looked at his fallen comrades, flipped his middle finger at me and ran back where they had come from. A couple of seconds went by until I understood: I had won. For first time in my life, I had won against Bordoni's men. Laughing happily, I threw the hurdle far away and looked at the infirmary's window, but Goth girl wasn't there. Not before long, I heard the racket of bed pans and bottles being thrown around, along with 'friggin witch!'

'_Bordoni!_' I had forgotten about him.

I sprinted towards the infirmary window and climbed it swiftly. Inside the darkened infirmary, I could see that Bordoni was very much recovered and had grabbed Goth girl by the neck, crushing her in a vicious headlock from behind. He was a lot taller, so he was even lifting her from the floor.

"Let her go, Bordoni!! This has gone too far!!" I shouted at the coward.

"Stay put Gilly-willy!! I'll finish this in a second and deal with you!" he laughed, rejoicing in Goth girl's pained face.

"Come on, you dog! This is between you and me! It has always been! Leave her alone!"

"SHUT UP!"

The girl had taken advantage of our argument to reach a broken bottle from the table next to her. In a swift move, she thrust the broken glass into Bordoni's left leg and twisted it, breaking it even more into the guy's flesh. The monster shouted in pain and pushed the girl away from him, having her crash onto the infirmary's bed. She hit her head and immediately lost consciousness. I ran to Bordoni and used all I had to knock him on the floor; his eyes looked at me in hatred as I punched him again and again, finally knocking him out.

A few minutes later, security along with the Headmistress came and sorted out the mess. Since I was a model student, I had no trouble convincing the Headmistress that Bordoni and company had begun the fight and even injured a student of the Queen's Dorm quite seriously. I also expressed my concern for the girl's safety in her dorm, in case of future retaliations from the Marques' men. I even suggested she could be transferred to the Grey Dorm, where I could watch over her just in case, but the Headmistress assured me this event wouldn't happen again. Giancarlo was to be expelled, along with the ones that helped him. The best news ever…

In the end, Goth girl was packed off to the hospital, and I was sent to my dorm. The building's lights were all on, and many of my dorm and other dorms' inhabitants ran to me once I got out of the cab. The word of me fighting Giancarlo and his men spread like wild fire through the dorms near the Sports building. Congratulatory pats and nudges were given to me left and right: I was the hero of the night. I felt exhilarated: the next day I vowed to look for Goth girl and convince her to transfer to the Grey Dorm, along with asking her name.

However, the party was cut short when Jack, one of my roommates, approached with a paper.

"Gill, man! This has just come for you!" he said, struggling to reach me through the mass of people around me.

"What does it say?" I asked smiling. Nothing could ruin this night. Or so I thought.

"It's from your town, man. From a guy named Toby. He says you should go home! Your mother's not well!" he finished, looking worried.

Needless to say, I ran to my dorm, where my other roommate Melody had already packed my things. Jack called another cab while I bought a ticket to Waffle Town through the phone. At 3 a.m, I was on the pier, taking a boat through the fog, praying to the Goddess I could arrive before something terrible happened.

And the rest, as they say, is history….

_Gill_

***

To be continued….


	17. In the Blizzard

Hello!

Kinnetik_Ishisu here with an update! I hope you enjoy

My deepest gratitude to my reviewers, A midsummer night's dream, Riyu21 , ShadetheEchidna666, Kohana92, Gabi123 and vesperaxx among them.

So, enjoy! XD

* * *

**Winter 1****st****, XXX1**

_4:55 am_

Sooner than I would have wanted, I had to return to the Town Hall and the farmer to her home. After splitting the tab, we headed outside, where we were almost whisked away by a tornado of leaves.

"Wow!" exclaimed the girl, grasping her hat as we got out of the Inn. "What's with the wind?"

This wind was cold and stronger than the one over the past few days. The trees were shaking vigorously, and my own hair was flying wildly over my head. "Winter is around the corner, I believe. Better to harvest that rice as soon as possible, Angela…"

The farmer nodded, her eyes critically posed on the darkened sky. "How long ago did you plant those seeds?"

"Not long ago. I gather the rice will be ready in 1 or 2 days," I answered, while leaves fluttered around us.

She nodded again and bowed, thanking me for the invitation. Taking off her hat, she jogged towards her farm, still watching the sky.

After the farmer ran out of my sight, I returned to the Town Hall, where Elli was outside the door waiting for me.

"Gill, we have problems!" she yelled while her skirt flowed around her. "A blizzard is coming this way!"

"A blizzard?! Already?!" I shouted, the wind muffling or voices. "But it's not Winter yet!"

Once inside the building, Elli showed me some maps sent by the meteorologists of the Eastern City; because of the changes in temperature and weather worldwide, our Winter was beginning earlier and harsher than expected. The tides were increasing, making navigation dangerous and the first blizzard of the season was due for tomorrow morning: at least one week earlier than estimated.

"Elli! Is Father still in Toucan Island?"

"Yes, he was supposed to close the resort deal with Samson tonight…"

"Call him and tell him that he and Pascal should stay there until further notice. The sea is too dangerous for Pascal's old boat. Katinka!"

The head of the secretaries' heels clonked in my direction, "Yes, sir?"

"Get me Dale on the phone as quick as possible!"

"Immediately"

I turned to the rest of the workers gathered around me, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a situation! A blizzard is heading towards us as we speak. You're going to divide in 3 teams: Team A, led by Katinka, will make sure everyone is notified of the danger and raise a list of possible dangerous structures. Team B, led by Elli, will check every person has supplies and will coordinate with the health and basic services during the storm. Team C, led by me, will take care of the security protocol: reinforcing doors, windows, stables and barns, along with shelters for the stray animals. We have T minus 12 hours. Get to work!"

A chorus of yes answered my order. Then, the workers gravitated towards Elli for a proper division while Katinka brought the phone to me. I grabbed it.

"Dale, it's Gill. We have a situation"

"Yes boy, a blizzard right?" the man said gravely.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"The sky is angry today. And the wind is far too strong. This is going to be nasty; I have Bo and Luke chopping wood overtime. "

"Good. We're on the same page then. There's going to be a lot of people asking for wood shortly, and the Town Hall needs some too for the security protocol. Are you sure you can cope up with the demand?"

"How much are we talking about?"

"About a thousand wood or so. I'm thinking we'll have to reinforce a lot of structures"

"Lemme see…" Dale said while putting the phone down. "_Hey, Luke, is Angela still there? Yeah, tell her I'll give her 50 more logs if she stays and helps us chop"_

"_Sure dad"_

I heard steps going out. Suddenly, Angela's voice was heard from the other side of the phone, "_I don't need the extra logs Dale, but I'll stay and help. _

The man returned to the phone. "Hey Gill, are you still there, boy?"

"Yes sir"

"Angela is helping us. I'll close the Carpentry for some hours, and we'll go to chop some wood. We'll be done in about 4 or 5 hours."

"Perfect. My team will be there by then to collect the wood. If it's too much, we'll return the remnants to you. Of course, the Town Hall will pay for this."

"Don't worry about that yet, boy. First we have to meet the deadline. Hold on-" he put the phone down again. "_Angela! Put down your axe and take that silver one. Go with Luke and Bo to the forest! Your goal is 200 logs or more this hour! "_

"_You heard Angela?! Piece of cake for us!"_

"_Yeah! Come on Luke! I'll chop 100 in 30 minutes!"_

"_I'll chop 100 in 15!"_ said the bandana boy, his voice fading in the distance.

"Hey… Dale… Can you… I mean…. Angela… She just got out of the clinic…" I stammered once Dale picked the phone up again. I had seen her and Luke together: they had nothing to envy from a chainsaw. Those two were machines.

"Don't worry boy; I'll look after her. At least until you decide to do it for yourself…"

"…Thanks Dale…"

…

Once the teams informed the people of what was happening, chaos ensued. We received innumerable petitions of reinforcement concerning windows and doors. I persuaded Jake and Colleen to shelter some of the town folk, since there would be no time to finish the arrangements in their homes before the blizzard came. Angela, Dale, Luke and Bo cut trees non-stop and helped my team in the security protocol. At 9 pm, the wind ran wildly out of the Clinic, one of the last buildings to reinforce.

"Gill, where do I put this?" Angela asked, carrying an armful of wooden boards.

"Go to that corner and begin nailing them on the windows of the back."

"Pops, these hinges are all rusty!" Luke's voice complained from the front door. "Should we change them?"

"Not now Luke, the blizzard is upon us" Dale murmured, with nails in his mouth. "Try to nail them better and let's hope they last!"

"Gill! Maya is on the phone! She asks if she should turn on the central heating of the Inn or wait until the blizzard arrives" Bo asked from the counter, where Jin was busy getting his precious bottles of medicine out of the carpenter's way.

"Tell her to delay it as much as she can, but to be sure that the water supplies are hot enough so as to prevent water freezing…"

After an hour, the Clinic along with Elli's house were ready to face the blizzard. The rest of the villagers decided to stay in the Inn. When I spoke to Father hours before, he asked me to stay in the Inn as well, since it'll be better for me to be accompanied. As we were packing Dale's tools, I saw that Angela was picking up her tools.

"I need to go to see my animals. They must be scared…" she said as I threw her an inquisitive look.

"Will you be going to Inn after that?" Luke voiced my question.

She negated with her head. "I don't know how long this is going to last. I can't afford to have my animals die because of neglect…"

Dale, Bo and Luke nodded in understanding. Even if I knew she was doing the right thing, I couldn't help to feel apprehensive. "Do you want me to go with you?" I asked.

She smiled but then grimaced. "The people need you at the Inn. You're the only authority figure to organize this mess. The boys can walk me home, and I'll be fine. Right?" she asked Dale and company. They nodded once more.

Outnumbered, I had to concede; with Jin's assurance of the medical services availability, we went out of the Clinic. At the Inn, Angela and the carpenters waved their goodbyes, and I was left to watch them make their way through the dreary wind.

…

Once in the Inn, I could watch an overworked Maya along with a grumpy Chase in charge of dealing with the needs of every customer in the place. The storm had made everybody edgy, and thus, both waitress and cook weren't in their best spirits.

"Hey Maya!" Ramsey snarled from the corner, "This is cold!"

"I'll heat it up in a second!" answered the waitress while taking Paolo's order.

"This coffee tastes like socks!" Selena said repulsed from the table next to the entrance.

Toby nodded from the table next to her. "Perhaps we can get a cappuccino, Chase?" Toby asked in a soft voice.

Chase went out of the kitchen, his arms laden with food trays. "Nope, sorry, what you see is what we have."

Selena huffed and pushed the cup away from her. "You cannot seriously expect me to pay for this..."

Shaking his head, Chase ignored the woman and tumbled to the other tables, missing Maya by inches. I hung my coat and scarf in the rack and sat next to the dancer and fisherman. "Hello, how are you faring?" I asked to the pair.

"Fairly well, Gill" Toby said, his countenance as placid as always.

"Yes, aside from this coffee, life's good..." Selena said while nibbling a muffin. I asked with a gesture permission to drink from her cup; she nodded and pushed the cup to me. One sip was enough to agree with her in the sock-like taste of the beverage. "This is disgusting..." I said, while spitting the rest in a napkin.

"Isn't it?" Selena said. "You should have tasted the coffee Angela makes! It's almost as good as my father's."

"And why doesn't the Inn buy some of her coffee beans?" Toby asked.

"There weren't many to begin with. She planted them as an experiment, or so she told me. She even gave me some coffee just to taste it. Everyone knows about my unrivaled taste buds... Too bad she didn't have time to plant more before she ended up in the hospital..."

I nodded absentmindedly while Maya placed a glass of water on the table. I thought that even if the coffee was bad, in a couple of days we would be able to enjoy Angela's rice, which I was pretty confident in.

"By the way," Toby asked, looking around. "Where's Angela? She should be here by now, shouldn't she?"

"She said she needed to take care of her animals during the blizzard. She will be staying at her farm" I replied.

"Well, at least she doesn't have to take care of any plants. They would have chilled to the core..."

"That's..." I began, but suddenly remembered that Angela had indeed something on her field. _'The rice!'_ Springing from my seat under my companions bewildered looks, I ran to the coat rack by the door. Grabbing my coat and scarf, I sprinted out of the Inn towards Angela's farm. Angela, if I knew her up to some extent by now, would be out in the freezing wind trying to save her crops.

…

Not long before midnight, I arrived at Angela's farm. Trekking up the road, I saw two huge bonfires on both sides of Angela's crops. The girl had tied some cotton bed sheets to two tree branches, as if to construct butterfly wings. With the latter, she was running from one side of the field to the other, redirecting the smoke towards the plants in soft motions.

"Angela! What in the Goddess name are you doing?" I shouted over the wind. "The blizzard is almost here!"

The girl stopped her motions and noticed me. "The rice is going to freeze! I need to heat it up or we'll lose it. The smoke will heat up the plants, and I'll be able to harvest them in some hours!"

"How do you know?"

"The book that you were using! You left it here! It says that if the plants are of a darker shade of green, they could be harvested by the next day. But if they are not in a controlled, warm weather, they will wither."

It was true; I had read that book so many times that I had memorized every kind of possible threat to a plant. "What do you want me to do?" I said, going towards one of the bonfires. She looked at me for a couple of moments, as if deciding if it was safe for me to be there. Finally, I passed her assessment, and she pointed to some branches by the bonfire along with the fabric next to them. "Tie the sheets to the branches as if to make wings like mine. Then do as I do."

Once I had finished the wings, I began to redirect the smoke vigorously into the field, feeling terribly ridiculous by the minute. I saw the farmer shaking her head from the other side and hurrying over.

"Softly Gill, heat them up softly. The wind is already terrible on them," she muttered, her hands on my arms, guiding the motions as if I were a doll. I felt my face burning as she whispered the instructions in my ear, her warm body behind mine. Before long, she stepped back and went to her side, to continue her task. I could have sworn she smirked...

By , we had had to restart the bonfires at least 4 times, since the wind had become more violent by the hour. My arms were incredibly sore, and, even if she didn't show it, hers were too: the motions of her limbs were less graceful than before. As I was about to suggest a short break, popping sounds began to be heard all around us: the plants were sprouting.

"Gill, quick! Go into my house and bring me the two big baskets next to the bookcase." Angela instructed as she heard the sounds.

I shrugged off the blasted wings and ran into her home, locating the baskets in seconds. From our respective sides, we began collecting the rice at top speed. In 30 minutes, we had deposited one load in the shipping bin and the other in her fridge. By that time, the wind had turned white, our noses blue and our teeth were chattering.

"Angela! We have to get back indoors!" I yelled, barely being able to see her at all. I just registered the girl running towards me and sending me to the floor. Not so long after, a huge boulder went over our heads and embedded itself onto the ground. Soon, several boulders of different sizes were falling all around us in a hellish picture. "To the barn! There we'll be safe!" she shouted as we both dodged a group of rocks.

Once in the barn, we closed the door with difficulty. Afterwards, we slumped onto the floor, panting in exertion.

"So this is a typical day in your farm, huh?" I asked sarcastically.

"Give or take a boulder, and yes, this is a typical day at Gondor Farm..."

…

As soon as she recovered her breath, she began to put fodder into the livestock's feeding bins. While the animals eyed me evilly, only Athena --the lamb-- came to my side, asking to be fed.

"She adores you..." Akari commented, while brushing Elendil, her horse.

"This young lady and I had many adventures while you were sick," I said, while feeding the animal with some fodder. "She was my bodyguard in the chicken coop and a peace mediator between Elendil, Poe and I..." I finished, remembering the day I had to use a pitchfork to avoid the animals' wrath.

She laughed heartily, her gloved hands on her belly, her brown hair glowing warmly under the barn's lamp. It was right in that moment that I understood my feelings. This woman, flaws and all, had captivated my heart, even before I knew who she was. I had spent moments with her that no one else could possibly believe. Next to her, I was just Gill, a normal man: I could be extremely happy, extremely angry, extremely jealous, extremely thankful… If she hadn't arrived, if I hadn't met her, would I have become a different person? Would I have accomplished all that I have by simply being _Gill the Mayor's son? _It took me little time to understand that there was a before and after of Angela Blackmoon, and only one path to follow from there:

"Angela..."

"Yes?" she answered, wiping tears of mirth from the corner of her eyes.

Breathing deeply, I spoke with a steady voice I couldn't recognize. "Will you be my steady?"

The farmer froze on the spot, her hand still on her face. Then, she closed her eyes and groaned in dismay, "Oh Gill, not here!"

It was my turn to freeze. My brain rewound the scene, looking for a clue of what went wrong. "Not in Waffle Town? In Mineral Town, then?" Although I had no idea why she did not want to be my steady in Waffle Town…

"No, you goof! In a barn! In the middle of a blizzard! How can you confess to me in a barn in the middle of a blizzard?!" she pouted cutely, crossing her arms over her chest.

I looked around: I had a lamb eating in my lap, a cow and a horse chewing on their food and a calf doing her physiological duty in the corner of the barn. I grimaced as I took in the most unromantic setting ever for a love confession. Way to go Gill Hamilton...

Seconds later, however, Angela spoke hurriedly. "Sorry, it's was a joke! Very bad taste, I know!"

I got up, letting Athena slide softly from my lap. Dusting my pants, I walked over and grabbed her hands. Her nose, red from the cold, went ever redder still. "No, you're right. This is not how is done." She tried to say something, but I continued, "Meet me at Alan's Tree at noon, when the blizzard is over…"

She opened her mouth, but then closed it and nodded happily. Hugging me, she whispered in my ear her acceptance, "At Alan's Tree, then. When this is over…"

I hugged her back, knowing this was how it was meant to be, "When this is over, yes…"

Not long after, the rough wind reminded Angela that the acting mayor –namely me—had to be at the Inn. Pushing me out of the barn, she pondered on how I was to get back to the town. However, she was to think no more, as Athena nudged her leg for her attention.

"Gill…" she asked with a strange tone, "Have you ever ridden a lamb?"

"What?!"

She just laughed evilly…

Needless to say, once I got back to the Inn, I steadily ignored each and every chuckle I could hear. After all, it wasn't everyday that the people saw the Mayor's son riding a spoiled lamb that refused to stop following her owner's future boyfriend once he dismounted and entered to an establishment.

"Gill, do you want something?"

"Tomato on the rocks, Hayden…"

"And… for your lamb?"

"… A tuna sandwich…."

"Tuna?"

"Tuna indeed…"

_**Gill**_


	18. Of Cowboys and Feathers

Hello everyone!

After a hideous month (or more) of being buried alive in my job, I come back with a new chapter! Building towards the dramatic end, this one is designed to create some conflict (as if I needed any more...)

My usual thanks to my reviewers Gabi123 (weren't we all dying when we got to the event XD. I even played a specific song and all in my Ipod), ShadetheEchidna666 (yes, well , at least he said it. But Angela had to difuse a little bit the tension... XD), Kohana92 (thanks for reading and always commenting and btw, where is your update XD?), Riyu21 (don't we all love the lamb? ;) ) and Yarbo (Gill is the man, isn't he? XD)

And there is a supernatural surprise and cookies for those that find it.

Cheers and enjoy!

* * *

_**Angela**_

As I opened my eyes in the morning, I noticed the wind had settled down. Birds were singing and the sun was high in the sky…

THE SUN WAS HIGH IN THE SKY???!!!

What time was it, in the Goddess name??!!

I tried to reach my alarm clock, but I got entangled in the covers and fell off the bed, crashing on my left knee spectacularly. After cursing profanely and rubbing my knee, I finally managed to watch the elusive clock: 11:10 am. 11:10 am?!! I had to meet Gill at noon! Today was my big day (that had been technically three days ago, when the blizzard began, but oh well). Showering in record time, I sat in front of my vanity table and pondered on how to make this hair look as good as Luna's. At 11:45, I understood the Luna's hair was somehow a mutation, since no girl on Earth could possibly have it that perfect. Yes, Luna is a freak of nature and my impossible hair is just normal…

Ten to 12, I ran as if there were no tomorrow towards the Brownie Ranch. At Caramel Falls' intersection, however, my future father-in-law stopped me for a word.

"Yes, Hamilton?" I said, gritting my teeth in frustration. Don't you know I have to go and meet your son and become your daughter-in-law?!

"Oh, Angela, sorry to interrupt your jogging! I need a favor from you!"

"Sure thing, Mayor…" _Just hurry up and say it!!!_

"Cain said you recommended someone to buy livestock from…" he explained as he pulled a paper out of his pocket. _Had I recommended anyone? I couldn't remember…_ "This has just arrived from the islands to the East. Apparently they accepted his offer and sent some head of cattle to him…"

My patience was rapidly evaporating. "I fail to see how I can help you, Mayor…"

He laughed and placed a hand behind his head, "Oh, sorry, I rambled, didn't I?" _no, of course you didn't…._ "I just want you to deliver this fax to Cain; they explain the transaction over here. The owner himself will be here with the cattle any minute now."

I snatched the note from his grip and ran. "I'll deliver it, no problem. Bye, Mayor!!"

"Hey Angela! I didn't tell you who was going to come! Angela!" the Mayor said, but I was already running. Little did I know that I would have better stayed and listened…

…

"Hey, Angela, how are yo--?"

"Hi, hi, Renée. Lovely morning right? Here's a telegram for your father! Gotta gooooooo…."

"Em… Thanks Angela…"

Leaving a bewildered Renée behind, I ran to Alan's Tree. As I approached, I saw Gill lying back on the tree, looking to his right as his hair flowed around him. I took my time to contemplate him, because after today, things wouldn't be the same ever again.

The night I met Gill was the night Vaughn had told me he was marrying Chelsea and moving away from the Eastern City. I had never really given up on Vaughn, even when he first told me about Chelsea. Somehow, he would see that I was better than her. When he just didn't and kept telling me Chelsea this and Chelsea that during his visits, I just grew angrier and frustrated; I had a record for the most held/won fights in the underground of the Eastern City University. Unfortunately, my rivals tipped off the dorm head and I was facing expulsion from the dorm and possibly from the University. That night, Vaughn had taken me to our favorite pub and had told me about his impending marriage. He tried to be as tactful as he could, but let's face it, he was a cowboy. Before I could deal with the news, Bordoni and his men came and raised hell. Now that I think about it, they were harmless: stupid, barely-able-to-stand-on-their-feet drunkards just teasing the barman. Security could have taken care of them, but I was so frustrated that I picked the fight with them. Vaughn, of course, being the man that he was, helped me to apply justice. I was careless that night: Bordoni landed several good punches, more than the ones I was used to take in a fight. Once we made them flee, Vaughn left me on the path towards the University. He didn't want to encourage me any further, it seemed.

Was it bad at the time? It sucked. I was alone, injured badly, away from my dorm, watching the man I loved rush to another.

Was I sad at the time? I couldn't even see straight because of the tears blurring my eyes.

I was about to fall asleep on a nearby bench and send everything to hell. Eastern City University? To hell with it! My dreams of becoming a Chief Prosecutor? Useless if Vaughn wasn't next to me. Yes, I was to let the guards find me, and the dorm head to make good of her threat. What did I care?

All of a sudden, a soft light began shining to my right. It was yellow and small; it flew around me in two quick revolutions and fled towards a darkened path I had missed. Sending common sense to hell again, I followed the light to the most beautiful tree I had ever seen. The roots even looked inviting for a short nap: once I sat, a warm feeling slithered all over me, numbing the pain. The next I may have imagined, but I saw a blonde, translucent woman putting her arms around me. She looked like the painting of one of Great Ladies hanging in the dorm's parlor. The Great Ladies were the best of the Queen's Dorm members throughout the years. With flawless behavior and an incredible contribution to society, a dorm lady could aspire to be named Great Lady and have her portrait painted, hung afterwards in the parlor for every generation to admire from that day on. In the translucent lady's arms, I felt comforted, as if someone truly understood what I was going through. And I had my fighting spirit back with me, stronger that I had never felt it before. I was not going to quit!

Some minutes later, however, the warmth began to subside and I felt the rain for the first time. As I was trying to bury further into the tree, the rain suddenly stopped. I looked up and saw a blond man, with gorgeous blue eyes, staring down at me.

_'Is he an angel?'_ I thought in a daze.

"Hey, are your drunk?" he asked, his face bearing polite disdain.

_'No, he's not...'_

He was infuriating, coldly logical and...How was I to know that boy would change my life?

And he looked almost identical to the translucent lady I saw. Curious too, because that lady was almost identical to the Harvest Goddess…

....

The cold wind blew my thoughts away as Gill noticed me from his spot next to Alan's Tree. He smiled as I walked to him, and I'm sure I had the same smile --albeit more goofy, I'm sure-- on my face. Once I was in front of him, he blushed and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, he spoke:

"I can't really stop thinking about you... So, how would you feel about going steady with me?" he said solemnly. "That is, if you don't have feelings for anyone else..." he added, clearly thinking about Owen.

I also thought about Owen for a moment. I didn't relish in telling him the news, but I wouldn't want this any other way. So I cleared my throat and placed my hands in my pockets. "I would be delighted to become your steady, Gill Hamilton!"

We both looked down to the floor, blushing madly as if we were teenagers. "Hey, good choice!" he laughed. "I'm glad you're happy as well. So, where's the blue feather?"

My smile faltered_. Blue feather, blue feather..._Without betraying my mask of happiness, I began to brainstorm quickly on what I knew about the said item:

_a- It's a sort of __commitment indicator_

_b- Traditionally, girls give it to boys they like, although there are really bold boys who go against the rules, like Irene's deceased husband._

_c- Mira said she had it shipped from Mineral Town in a TV crate so her husband-to-be wouldn't see it. He worked with Simon and Barbara at the time. She had to slip into the storage at night to retrieve it. She almost broke her neck._

_d-Ramsey said that one could get the feather from the bird itself, but it was a vicious creature._

_e-Jin still keeps the one his wife gave him. Even now…_

_What t__o do, what to do, what to do???Think Angela, think!_

_Maybe I could tell Gill his father needed him and run to Jin's. But then, how would I ask for the blue feather to the widower? __Well, my sleight of hand is not to be underestimated… Maybe if I'm fast enough… _As I was trying to prevent showing the panic that was bubbling its way out, Gill chuckled. At my puzzled look, he just laughed harder, "Heh, just joking, he, he, he..."

I blushed and frowned, "Gilllll...." Insuferable man! I was planning to steal from a widower for him!

He just continued laughing, hugged me and kissed me on the temple. "I'll be leaving now. Father was going on about a paper I had to deliver, but I didn't want to be late. See you again soon!" he waved as he ran downhill.

"Bye sweetie!" I smirked while waving back. I conveniently forgot to tell him I had delivered the message. If he wants to tease, I'm sure two could play the game as well. I just can imagine his face red in outrage once the Mayor tells him I delivered the message, ha.

…

Smiling, I stared up to the sky, noting the two rainbows I had summoned back. Since it was Winter, there were more chances for me to catch the Saury I was looking for. Perhaps if I went to the beach today, I could catch one and finally tell Gill what I was up to. He knows I have something to do with the appearance of the rainbows, but I hadn't really confirmed or denied anything. And I really wanted to summon a rainbow today, in honor of mine and Gill's feelings.

Just as I was walking out of Brownie District, Cain came out of his house.

"Hey Angela, thanks for the delivery! Those were really good news!"

"No problem Cain."

"Where are you heading now?"

"To the beach. I need some fish. But, do you need anything?"

"Yeah," said the older man while mounting a horse brought by his wife. "The guy you recommended has just arrived with several cows and two bulls according to my order. I need someone to help my wife put them in the barns. I would have told Renée, but she seems to have disappeared…"

_**Disappeared**__ my crops! Toby had __**disappeared**__ her... "_Sure, I'll stay and help. It's still early anyways"

...

Cain left and soon enough, the cattle and two horse riders were rearing them in the District. I helped Hannah put each animal in the barns. By 3 o'clock, the animals were settled and eating their fodder. Just as I was exiting one of the barns, the wind dragged a black object to my feet. Looking at it closely, I saw it was a black, cowboy hat: a black Stetson hat.

A hat that was familiar. Just _too_ familiar...

"Hey, good catch, Angela! Cowboy here was afraid the wind had carried it to the sea!" Cain's voiced boomed from the distance as he rode towards me and dismounted. Some seconds later, a black steed stopped by us, his rider dismounting as well.

"Thank you, ma'am..." the man began, but went silent when he recognized me. "Angela?"

The man's silver hair shined into the sun. His white bandana contrasted with his brown vest, his rough hands half-extended to recover his hat. Yes, of course, then I remembered who I had told Cain to contact: Vaughn, livestock dealer of the Sunshine Farm, from the Sunshine Islands to the East of Waffle Town. While I had contemplated Vaughn doing business with Cain, I never thought **he** would actually show up in Waffle Town!

The cowboy smirked warmly, grabbed his hat and then pulled me into a rough hug. I breathed in his forgotten aroma of hay and wind. How had I missed him… "Vaughn..."

"Everything alright, _Angst_?" Vaughn asked, throwing in old my pet name from our days of glory.

"Don't call me _Angst_!" I pouted playfully, stepping away from his embrace and wiping a treacherous tear. "I've told you a thousand times not to call me that!"

"Sure _Angst_, sure..."

"Vaughn, I swear--" I began, but an angry voice overlapped mine.

"**I think the lady told you **_**not**_** to call her that..." **

I turned around so fast my head hurt. Behind me was Gill, clutching a cheesecake bag from the Inn, glaring daggers at Vaughn. The said man straightened to his full height and glared right back. This was _so_ not good in _so_ many levels…

"And who might you be, young fellow?"

"I am _Angela_'s boyfriend, Gill Hamilton, son of Waffle Town's mayor. And you, sir?"

Vaughn adjusted his hat and gloves --coincidentally of the same style as mine-- as he answered, "I am the master of the livestock production of the Sunshine Farm. My name is Vaughn. I am also _Angst_'s best friend"

Gill sneered and crossed his arms, "Excuse me then, sir. _Angela_ has never spoken about you..."

_How could I tell the man I was in love with about the man I used to be in love with?_

"Funny, 'cause she hasn't spoken about you either. Not a word..."

_And how could I tell the man I used to be in love with of the ma__n I was currently in love with?_

_And d__id someone understand what I just thought, because I didn't..._

Both men turned to look at me as if waiting for me to declare my side. However, I decided that there was only one possible way out of this mess.

Taking a look at the sky and two steps back from my position, I promptly fainted.

Or at least, I pretended to. I wasn't the president of the Queen's Actresses Group for nothing...

...

To be continued…


	19. The End of an Era

**Hello everyone!**

_Here I am, late as never in my life , but I managed to update something. I'm not really sure if it's going to be what you expect, but life decided to throw all its fkt up things at me. I was almost defeated, but not quite,and it is until now that I have had the spirit to write again. I do apologize to all that have been waiting for me to continue this story. I will finish, eventually, but I will. I just need a little bit of inspiration and time._

_Thanks to my reviewers Yarbo, Gabi123, ShadyMango123 , TheSnowSakura , PreuBen, Kohana92, Mrs. Naara, DiscoPants, iheartgill, Overlord Valkyrie , GreenLiLyz ,Mnicknack, and HersheyChocolates101, among the many others that have supported this story for so long._

_I will do my best to bring the best story evah!_

* * *

_Angela_

Having Vaughn and Gill together in the same place and glaring at each other was one of those events that I never thought would happen. Of course, no one could blame me when I fainted. Or at least when I faked I did. I heard Hanna's shout along with Cain, Vaughn and Gill's. There was an argument between Gill and Vaughn, since the latter had already scooped me up to take me to the clinic. After a brief tug o' war, I was carried by Cain to the town. Luckily, Jin wasn't on duty; instead, Irene received us and shooed everyone out, much to Gill's displeasure : '_She is my girlfriend! I cannot believe I'm forced to wait outside!'_

After everyone stepped outside, Irene turned to me, "You can stop pretending now, Angela. Everyone's out."

I opened up an eye, then the other and finally sat on the bed. "Thanks for not telling, Irene…"

"May I ask what happened? I may be wrong, but Gill and that cowboy seem to have a lot to do with you 'fainting'"

Unable to keep it in for much longer, I began to talk about what happened. About Vaughn and my past with him; and about Gill and my past with him, too. About my confusion, that came as soon as I grabbed Vaughn's hat and that deepened as I saw Gill's blue eyes turn hard as steel. I love Gill, I really do, but Vaughn was the man that held my heart for so long… I didn't really know if he stopped holding it at all.

Irene paced quietly while I spoke. When I finished, she sat by the window, "Have I ever told you about Reiran?"

"Reiran?" I asked. "I don't think so…"

"Reiran was Jin's wife…"

_Jin's wife?_ "Oh…"

"Reiran and her sister Suiren were treasure hunters. Both came to Waffle Town by the time Jin turned your age. Needless to say, Reiran won Jin's heart completely; before her first Winter, they were already engaged. They married the following Spring," she commented, while glancing out the window.

"They must have been a nice couple…" I observed, not fully understanding what Jin and his wife had to do with my case.

"Yes, they were. Unfortunately, Reiran had a lung condition that Jin and I ignored. Her work in the mines just worsened it, and she died the next Winter. Jin was devastated…"

_That's why Jin was terribly upset when I ended up here after digging. Poor doctor… _"I can't imagine how he felt…"

"I'm not so sure about that. Even though you are in different situations, you're not so different from each other…"

Taking in my puzzled face, she continued, "I think you know about his relationship with Anissa, right?"

"Even the Harvest Sprites know about them! But what does it have to do with me?"

Irene laughed heartily, "Ha, ha, yes. Jin's similarity to you is that you both had important people in your lives; people that you will never forget. And yet, both of you decided to move on …"

"It was not easy…" I said, remembering my own change of life. Once I had finished the university, I worked for the best law firm in Eastern City. My dreams of becoming Chief Prosecutor were on their way; but I wasn't happy. Day after day going to the same job, defending and condemning the same despicable people, under the same lifeless blue sky. It wasn't until I saw the Mayor's brochure in the paper while drinking my everyday coffee that I finally decided to stop moping around and getting a life. It wasn't easy to say good bye to my friends, taking my savings and going off to the unknown, but I had gained so much, I just simply couldn't complain.

" It wasn't easy for Jin, either. He went around the world, to escape from himself. He went to visit his parents' graves, dropped by Suiren's house at the Sunshine Islands, and talked to his teachers in the Northern City, until he came back being the old Jin. Well, perhaps a more serious Jin, one that wanted another chance. I don't know what he was looking for, but he found it. He is thinking of asking Anissa to marry him; he's living his life. You came here looking for something as well. Did you find what you were looking for?"

She sighed, got up and opened the door, from where Gill barged in. Behind him, Vaughn entered slowly, his gaze hidden under his hat. While Gill stepped in the light, Vaughn stayed back in the shadows, like day and night.

_Had I found what I was looking for?_

…_._

"Gill, I am fine. Seriously!" I said for the umpteenth time. We were walking towards the Inn, Vaughn to my right and Gill fussing to me left.

"Yeah, _Gill_, she's fine, seriously!" Vaughn mimicked while chuckling. "You can go back to your office now…"

"Are you sure you're okay, Angela? I do not mind walking you home, you know?" he said, glaring at Vaughn.

"I know Gill, I know. But you know as well as I do that the Market day is approaching. And you know who has to organize all the stalls…" I told Gill, drawing his attention from Vaughn and his taunts. Gill nodded and pecked me on the lips. Ignoring Vaughn, he jogged towards the stairs, back to the Town Hall.

As soon as Gill was gone, Vaughn wasted no time in his tirade: "Angst, what the hell are you doing with that prissy boy?"

"Vaughn, knock it off!" I retorted, angrily striding back to my farm. "You have no business criticizing me about my choices, not when you got hitched to miss Sunshine Chelsea!"

I got to the Caramel District, and Vaughn was still behind me. He grabbed my arm and forced me to look at him. "This has nothing to do with Chelsea and me! I'm talking about you and him! He's not right for you, Angst!"

"Gill is more right for me than anyone I have ever met!"

"He's a politician, Angst! We know his kind! You know what politicians did to my family! You've fought their kind in the courts! And for who, for what? They are always corrupt!" I knew about his family. His father had died in prison because he got on someone's bad side. An important someone's bad side.

"Gill and his father are different!" I retorted. They were the first politicians I had seen with such a commitment to their people.

"Don't be ridiculous! He won't be able to protect you when the time comes, Angst, you know that! Not like …" Vaughn answered, but then became silent.

The wind blew around us, chilling us to the core. We were in the frozen grass in front of my house, a few meters from my flax crops. "Not like you used to protect me. Isn't that what you mean?"

Vaughn just arranged his hat and looked stubbornly at the ground. I sighed and paced around, "Yes, you protected me for a long time. I could always depend on you… And for that, I will always be thankful, Vaughn…"

"Angst, I—"

"You … You protected me so much, that… when you left, I had nothing. My life was an endless circle of what ifs: What if I had been as cheerful as Chelsea? What if Vaughn had fallen in love with me? What if I had been more ladylike, more different? And you know what Vaughn? That left me nothing…"

"Angst, I never wanted to hurt you," the cowboy whispered, completely uncomfortable. These feelings I had, although he knew about them, were never spoken.

I smiled and negated with my head. "But you did anyways. Don't get me wrong though, I now understand that everything that happened was in my destiny. That I was meant to come to Waffle Town. That you were meant for Chelsea, that too."

"Destiny? We don't believe in destiny Angst!" Vaughn laughed humorlessly.

"Yes, perhaps calling everything destiny is a bit exaggerated. But I do know that it's my destiny to stand on my own. And it's my destiny to protect everyone instead of being protected. Now I know that. Bye Vaughn"

I walked to my house and closed the door. Moments later, I heard Vaughn's boots down the road, carrying away all my doubts.

….

A few hours after, Gill came with the most ridiculous cowboy hat I have ever laid eyes upon, courtesy of our resident archaeologist, mounting on Reneé's best mare –Lucky. Blushing madly, he told me that Luke and the boys had forced him to wear it, but deep down, I knew he had felt intimidated by Vaughn.

"Gill…"

"Yes…?"

"Vaughn is Vaughn… And you are yourself…"

"Angela?"

"Give that hat back to Calvin before I feed it to Athena, yes?" I said while taking it off and kissing the blonde.

He laughed heartily after the kiss. "Yes dear…"

….

Later, after Gill left to return Reneé her mare, I met Toby on the way to the beach.

"Angie! Let's go fishing! That Saury is out there today, I can feel it!" Toby shouted while waving his cane.

"Yeah! He won't escape!"

While Toby and I settled near the dock, the sun was walking down the sky. The wind picked up its pace; it was still Winter after all. On the dock, I saw a figure dressed in black, clutching his hat as he headed to Pascal's boat. As if we had planned it, we looked at each other and smiled…

'_You must come and visit! Bring Chelsea next time!'_

'_Sure. Bye Angst…'_

'_Don't call me Angst!'_

'_He, he, he…'_

"Do you know him, Angie?" Toby asked as Vaughn waved goodbye.

"Yes Toby. An old friend…" I answered, waving back. Just then, my fishing cane began trembling: the Saury was here.

"Pull Captain Ahab!" Toby laughed as he helped me. The elusive Saury fought bravely I have to say, but finally gave up and took its place at the end of the line.

I was overjoyed; the next rainbow was not far away. While Toby waved the fish around and Pascal's boat got lost in the horizon, I knew my life was here and the best time to live it was now. I had really found what I was looking for.

"Come on Toby! Let's go to the Town Hall and show it to Gill!"

We ran towards the town, the wind chilling our happy faces… And then we ran back to my house with an annoyed Gill on our heels. Apparently one doesn't bring fish to the Town Hall just like that, since it ruins documents and stinks.

How was I supposed to know that?

Well, that's Waffle Town for you…

And good night.

I have a rainbow to summon.


	20. Dating in a Starry Night

**Hello, hello, hello!**

For those of you who haven't checked, this is the second updated chapter. Go back to the other to read them in order :D**  
**

* * *

**Winter 25****st****, XXX1**

I have just arrived from my first Starry Night Festival. ..

Well, not specifically my first Starry Night Festival, but this was my first with a…girlfriend. There, I said it. Well, I wrote it…

I am dating Angela Blackmoon.

When Father found out, he wasn't the picture of subtlety I daresay.

…

_Town Hall – 6 pm_

After answering the phone, Elli turned to me: "Gill, Angela says she may be running a little late. She has to pick up some leftover cheesecake Chase promised her or something."

"Ah, thanks Elli" I said while shuffling over some documents. "We really need to learn how to make cheesecake. We cannot be depending on the Inn's leftovers…"

"I can teach you" Elli offered as she was stamping some documents. "It's not really that difficult."

"I will ask for your help later then—"

"GiiiiiiLLLLLLL!"

Elli and I turned to the door, where Father was shouting my name: "Don't you have to meet Angela at 7?"

"Emm… yes?"

"Then why are you here?"

"Father, it's 6 pm, for Goddess sake!"

He sighed and began pulling my vest, "It's _already_ 6pm! You're not going to be ready!"

"Don't be ridiculous Father!" I said as I was dragged away. "Elli, help!"

The ex-nurse negated with her head. "Don't look at me, Gill. I told you not to tell him yet…"

And she did tell me; unfortunately, I was so happy didn't listen. Now I have to stand Father's crazy notions of dating and embarrassing talks involving sprites and bees…

Eventually, we got home. I saw that Father had ransacked my wardrobe and laid all my best clothes on the dining table. After an embarrassing fashion show where he asked me to put on each and every of the outfits, it was unanimous that my work outfit was the best.

"Why did you make me try on all these when you thought the white one was the best?" I shouted while redressing. _Now _I was running late.

Father pouted and sat on the couch with a huff, "Well, my son, you're very handsome! But a man needs to know how to dress for a date. It's my duty to guide you, now that your mother is not here…" he whispered this last part.

I looked at Father; he hadn't changed a lot from what I remembered as a kid: chubby, effervescent, loud and cheerful. However, sitting in that couch made him look old and tired. After mom died, he has tried his best to make me happy (even if his ways are not the most conventional, I have to say…) I imagine his life must be difficult.

I took my keys and approached him. Giving him a quick hug, I whispered a felt thank you. He looked at me and smiled widely.

"Don't wait up, I have my keys!" I said while running out the door, frankly embarrassed. I was never one of physical contact.

"Have fun, son! And I want all the details tomorrow!" his voice sang as I closed the door. I rolled my eyes and vowed to stay away until he forgot about that.

…

"Thanks for waiting!" I said while I ran to the Brownie Ranch's tree, where Angela was.

She finished blowing hot air into her hands and smiled, "Don't worry. I've just arrived myself! Maya was trying to get tips from me on how to get a boyfriend, and I couldn't say no…"

I smirked and blushed a little. Approaching until my face was but centimeters from hers, I asked what she said. She blushed and began stammering about perfume, hair styles and some other nonsense.

Laughing, I interrupted her. "You're wrong. That's not how you get a boyfriend…"

She grew even redder and huffed. "How would _you_ know? You've never had a boyfriend!"

"Well, that's true. But even if I were interested in one, I wouldn't use your advice. My amazing good looks would be enough…"

"Grrr… You're infuriating and crazy!"

"That's true, but you like me nevertheless. So the crazy one here should be you, shouldn't it?" I said while pretending to think about it.

"GiiiiiiiiLLLLLL!" Angela exploded and began chasing me all around the tree. I just laughed and taunted her even more. Soon enough, however, Angela tripped with one of the tree's roots and fell face-flat on the floor.

"!" she began bawling, grabbing her nose in the meantime.

"Angela! Are you ok?" I ran back, kneeling in front of her. She negated and kept clutching her nose. "Let me see!" She negated once more. "Oh, Angela, come on!" I couldn't believe we would have to spend our first Starry Night together at the hospital.

I finally managed to pry Angela's hands away from her face to find nothing but her usual rosy nose. She smirked at my surprise and kissed me. I admit I was too busy to complain at her antics. "Silly Gilly…"

"Silly huh?" I said while getting more comfortable on top of her and continued kissing.

"Very…" she mumbled, grinning on my mouth.

I reckon we could have continued for the rest of the night, but a melodious and somewhat feminine voice interrupted us:

"You people are aware there are children around here, right? You may want to take it somewhere else…"

Angela looked over my shoulder and grimaced, "Why, hello to you too Julius, and Candace of course…"

Julius and Candace had arrived, obviously to enjoy the starry sky near our spot. I noticed, however, that Angela was somehow uncomfortable talking to the pair. "Hi Julius. Nice night for contemplating the stars, is it not?"

Julius smiled and drew Candace closer; the seamstress was carefully avoiding looking in our direction. "Yes, it is!" answered the man. He began walking away, "We have to go then. Have fun, but mind time and place! Ta da!"

I waved him away and turned to Angela. She was sitting a bit away, gazing at the stars in silence. I sensed that our good mood was gone and not precisely because of Julius' interference.

I sat next to Angela and looked up at the stars: "The light shining from the stars is millions of years old. Isn't that incredible?" I turned to look at her, "And now we're seeing that light together. What a wonder…"

Angela stayed silent for a couple of minutes, and then she spoke, " I wonder , if I hadn't come here, would you be watching these very stars with Luna?"

"Angela, what—"

"Do you know that Candace is not speaking to me anymore?"

"No… I didn't" I answered. But I should have figured: she isn't speaking to me either. Candace is fiercely loyal to Luna and viceversa.

"I mean… we were never best friends," Angela continued, "but we were civil to each other. Now… I can't say I blame her… I am a horrible person…"

I scooted over and placed my right arm over her shoulders. "You were speaking to Maya earlier about getting a boyfriend, were you not?"

Angela frowned, "Gill, are you listening?"

I nodded and carried on, "You don't get a boyfriend being horrible person, now do you? You get someone to love you when you're there for him; when you're nice, but also, when you tell the truth when it's necessary. When you give him the right words at the right time and accept his own as well. You got me to love you by being yourself. That's the answer…"

"Gil…"

"If you hadn't been here, I wouldn't be watching the stars. I would be home working. I would be at the Town Hall. I would be anywhere but here…" I finished.

The farmer smiled and hugged me back; the good mood came back in a flash. "I'm still sorry for Luna… I never meant to hurt her" she said.

"Don't be. Luna is not weak, she has never been. One thing I profoundly respect about her is her ability to overcome difficulties. .."

We stayed silent for a long time after that, just gazing at the stars. I knew that Angela and I had ways to go, but whatever came, we would overcome it together.

After some hours, I walked her back to her house. We ate some cheesecake on her porch, and I walked home, appreciating —even in the dark— the three rainbows that graced Waffle Town's sky…

…

_2:00 a. m._

Father and I are going to the Clinic. Apparently, there has been an emergency with an acquaintance of Elli's.

_**Gill**_


	21. Luna

**Hello, hello, hello!**

For those of you who haven't checked, this is the third updated chapter. Go back to the other to read them in order :D

* * *

*******Luna***

I just had to let Candace talk me into going to watch the stupid sky with her and Julius, hadn't I?

And I just had to watch how Angela and Gill were snogging for everyone to see, hadn't I?

Stupid Starry Night Festival!

…

"Candace, are you sure it's ok for me to come?" I asked my sister while we walked to the Maple District.

"Su…Sure! Julius told me to invite you as well" Candace said while blushing.

I have to accept the evening hadn't begun badly. Julius is a marvelous entertainer (not that I'll tell that to his face), and he knows a lot about fashion. When I was actually enjoying myself, girlish squeals interrupted our conversation. We all three raised our look to the tree by Brownie Ranch, where Angela and Gill were busy chasing each other and then kissing and doing Goddess knows what in front of the rest of the people gathered around the hill. Toby and Renee gazed at the stars, oblivious to the spectacle; Chloe and Taylor sported similar disgusted faces. Selena and Luke were laughing; Hanna was sighing, but her husband's eyes immediately went to his daughter and Toby, obviously alert if behavior like Gill and Angela's happened.

Seeing Anissa giggle and Jin arranging his collar while blushing slightly made me think how I wasn't supposed to be there. I grew angry. Stupid Angela! Stupid Gill!

I know it wasn't their fault.

I know it's no one's fault.

But I can't help this feeling…

"Luna, are you ok?" Candace asked while eyeing me worriedly. Julius was also looking at me in a similar way. It took me a few seconds to notice the tears falling from my eyes. Gasping, I hastily wiped my face with my sleeve.

Julius stretched, subtly covering me from anyone's view. He yawned noticeably, " Hmmm, it's too crowded over here, don't you think girls?"

"A bit…" said Candace as I nodded quietly.

"Luna, why don't you go by the beach and save us all a spot? I have to say hello to some friends, but Candace and I will be there in a flash," Julius asked, winking at me.

Understanding that he was trying to give me some time alone, I respected Julius in new ways. Perhaps he wasn't so bad after all. "I'll go now, then."

"And don't make any detours to the Inn! We'll know if you swung by to have a drink!" Julius shouted as I was running towards the town.

"Jerk!" I yelled before I made a turn to the Maple District. I tripped several times because of the tears, but I kept running. Always ahead…

Always ahead…

…..

Soon enough, I reached the beach. The sound of the waves helped me regain my composure. At the end, as Grandma said, there was always a new day tomorrow.

I decided to take advantage of my solitude and took off my shoes. Running to the shore, I felt the cold water and the sand under my feet: I hadn't had time to do this in a while.

_Did I really expect for Gill to still be in-love with me? That was naïve…_

_My feelings didn't change, though. I always thought of Gill…_

_Time to think of somebody else, I guess…_

While I was thinking, a shooting star crossed the sky. When I was a child, I always scolded Candace because she made a wish every time she saw a shooting star. It was nonsense, after all. How can a star grant a wish? But, no one would know if I made a wish in this moment, right? I'm all alone after all…

"I wish… I wish to forget Gill! I wish to be happy! I—Wahhhhhh!" I shouted as I tripped with something. I fell, submerging for some seconds, ruining my dress and getting totally wet.

Stupid shooting stars!

Splashing around, I managed to drag myself out of the water. At first, I thought I had tripped with a rock, but when I looked back at the shore, there was something else over there.

"What the…"

A man had been washed over to the shore, and I had tripped on his arm.

Puzzled, I crawled until I was next to him: he was blonde, a bit older than I was perhaps, with a silly cap that said UMA. He had a ragged, gray jumpsuit, with algae all over it. I placed my hand near his face; he was breathing, though barely. Suddenly, he raised his right arm and clutched mine powerfully:

"Elli… I need… Elli…"

Of course, I wasn't able to process this effectively: I was already shouting my brains out of fear. I struggled with his hand, but he held tight. This man had very strong hands…

"Hey, hey, let go!" I demanded, albeit weakly.

"Elli…"

"Yes, yes, but she's not here, don't you see?" Of course he couldn't see; he was thrown in the middle of the beach in Winter. But don't ask coherence of me: I was terrified. Where were Candace and Julius?

"Take this…take… it to her…" He let go of me and began fishing a soggy note out of his front pocket. In shock, I nodded and took the note mechanically. He seemed pleased and his arm fell violently to the ground. He was unconscious once more. For the first time, I noticed he was pale and his lips were blue… He could very well freeze to death if he stayed there any longer: Goddess knows how long had he been there already…

Pocketing the note, I took the man by his arms and began pulling him to the shore.

And pulling…

And pulling….

By the time I got him to the town's outskirts, I was covered in sweat and cursing everything I knew. Where was man-face Angela when you needed her? She could haul this guy up to the infinite and beyond, with her brutish strength. And I would be with Gill in that hill having fun, instead of dragging … dragging… whomever this man was!

When I reached the General Store, I banged on the door as if there were no tomorrow, but no one answered. Everyone was out watching the stupid stars. Frustrated, I went back to the corpse on the road and kicked him:

"Hey! Hey! Wake up!"

"Arghhhh…." the guy said, obviously awake now.

"I need you to help me! I can't keep dragging you all over town, and Goddess knows I can't carry you all the way to the Clinic!" I said while kneeling. I placed his right arm over my shoulders, "Come on, help me, I can't … do this alone…"

He shakily got up and leant heavily on me, "Sorry…" he whispered.

"Don't speak… Focus on the road…" I panted. He was heavy. "There is some still to cover…"

We dragged ourselves silently to the Clinic. Once we were there, I banged at the door: old Irene was a heavy sleeper as far as I knew. After a full minute of banging, a light turned on in the second floor and steps came downstairs. The door opened and the light from within blinded me for a minute:

"Luna! What happened?"

"He… on the beach…" I stammered as I felt my strength draining away. My vision clouded amidst Irene's alarmed voice.

….

"Luna…n..u…r me?"

"Eh…?" I whispered groggily. I tried to open my eyes, identifying blurry silhouettes in a white background.

"Luna, please, wake up…" Candace voice pleaded to my right.

Apparently, I had been taken into the Clinic. I struggled to focus my vision: Candace and Julius were next to my bed, Gill, The Mayor and Elli were on the other side of the room, most likely with the man I stumbled upon.

"What is going on?" I said while trying to get a glimpse of the man.

"Before he lost consciousness, he kept asking for Elli," Julius explained. "Candace and I arrived just as you fainted, so we helped Irene carry you both inside. Then she went to fetch Jin, and I the Mayor."

"I think Elli knows him…" Candace said, "She kept calling him Gray…"

I looked at Elli: she had been given a chair and took a seat, grabbing the man's hand gravely. The man was still pale, but his lips had regained a normal pink hue. He was under several covers and shook every now and then. Not far from his bed, the Mayor, Gill and Jin were discussing his condition:

"He is fine, a bit dehydrated though. I will observe him for 3 days, just in case" Jin said.

"Why would he be here, Father? Pascal says he hasn't heard of any shipwrecks recently…"

"I don't know son, but it was lucky Luna found him. He could have frozen to death over there at the beach; it's winter after all…" Hamilton answered, taking a look at Gray.

Jin turned and took Gray's temperature and pulse, taking some notes afterwards. He told Elli something I couldn't understand, and the woman nodded as she got up and left the room.

"Elli is going to stay with him tonight. He'll probably regain consciousness during the following hours, so he'll want a familiar face, I reckon," said Jin. He then turned to me: "How do you feel, Luna?"

"I'm okay…" I answered under Candace's anxious gaze. "When can I go home?"

"Whenever you're ready. If you feel dizzy or nauseous, however, come straight back"

"Yes, doctor…"

…

The next day was madness: the Mayor was banging on our door as soon as the sun rose. I was still in bed trying to continue sleeping. After some minutes, and just when I thought the visitor had gone away, I heard some knocks on my bedroom's door. Annoyed, I got up, put on my robe and opened the door. I stepped back, however, when a man in a clean suit (like those from the X-files working in labs) entered my room carrying a bag.

"Jin?" I guessed. There was really no one in Waffle Town who owned crazy stuff like that clean suit.

"Good morning, Luna," the doctor said on his business tone, "I trust you had a good night."

"Jin… I think the way I spent the night is the last thing on both of our minds right now…" I retorted. "Why are you here —at the Tailor's—using a suit to prevent contagious diseases?"

Jin gestured me to sit down and closed the door. His eyes peeking behind the mask were worried.

"Luna, do you remember the man you carried last night to the Clinic?"

"Yes…" and I knew this was going somewhere I wouldn't like…

"Gray, that's his name, comes from Mineral Town. He… well… he fled the town a couple of days ago, in a small boat…"

_Ah, the plot thickens_… "Why 'fled'?" I just had the hunch I wouldn't like the answer.

Jin paused for a second and took a deep breath. "About 3 months ago, one villager that had been traveling around the continent finally arrived home to his wife and children. The wife had a condition, a seemingly incurable disease. Unfortunately, her husband –while traveling around to find the cure—brought home a virus…"

_A virus__!_ "What does it have to do with me?"

Jin raised his hands to appease me: "Nothing yet, I assure you. However, this virus, because of certain unfortunate circumstances, spread throughout the village at an incredible speed. Mineral Town's mayor tried to contact the authorities at the Eastern city, but died before he could give a detailed report of the circumstances. The city authorities, meanwhile they assessed the situation, quarantined the town. Up until a week ago, they hadn't come up with anything, so Gray was sent out to get help…"

I was silent for a long time. I didn't need to be a doctor to know what Jin was trying to tell me: "Am I infected?"

The doctor negated with his head. "To be honest, I don't know. Gray's condition is stable, but the viruses take certain time to incubate. The symptoms he told me he witnessed on the infected can match at least 20 different types of viruses, so I don't know still the behavior of this disease."

I gulped. Nice way to start your day. What if I was infected? Would I die? What about Candace and Grandma? Grandma already lost a child when mom died. They were deeply depressed; I was a 4 or 5 back then, but I still remember their teary faces and swollen eyes. They won't be able to recover if I… "Did you tell Grandma or Candace about this?"

"I told them that the Mayor needed to speak with them regarding a project. I told them I would do a quick check up and then let you sleep. Only when they left I suited up and came in," he explained. "Your grandmother and Candace don't need to know… yet."

I stood up and paced around the room. "So, what now?"

"For your family's sake, I need you to stay in the Clinic until we figure what the virus is," Jin said as he opened the bag he carried. He began taking out a suit like his, but in a smaller size. "Put this on and we'll go to the Clinic using the back road. There are many tests I have to run on both you and Gray. Elli and my grandmother will be helping me analyze the samples and diagnose, if there's anything to diagnose…"

I got dressed in a flash: I couldn't risk Grandma and Candace coming back. I packed some things in a flowered suitcase and followed Jin out the door. As I was closing it, I saw the letter Gray gave me last night for Elli. I ran back and grabbed it: if Elli was in the Clinic, I could give it to her if I was to be confined until Judgment day….

You know the funny thing? I ended up at the beach because of a man. And now, I will end up in the Clinic because of a man too.

Conclusion: Men suck.


	22. Prison Break?

**Hello, hello, hello!**

For those of you who haven't checked, this is the fourth updated chapter. Go back to the other to read them in order :D

Btw, I blame this entirely on Trauma Center: Trauma Team from Atlus, one of the best games in the world!

* * *

_D__ear Elli,_

_It's me, Claire…_

_I don't know how to begin, I truly don't. It's been more than 10 years since we saw each other last, but I desperately need your help._

_First things first, I guess. I am sorry about what happened. Not about marrying Trent, that I will never be sorry about, but how we handled the situation. Now I can think of a million things I would have done differently. But this is not what I should be writing about: pay attention because this is not good._

_Do you remember Rod? Well, I guess you actually knew him, since you lived in Mineral Town long before I arrived. Well, Lillia's husband finally returned to Poultry Farm. Even Rick was ecstatic at this turn of events. Apparently, he found a cure for Lillia's illness. Trent was most interested in this: you know he's been treating Lillia for years without any development. The problem was that Rod didn't wait for Trent's authorization to give Lillia the medicine. Trent was furious as I had seen him few times. You know how meticulous he is on analyzing new medicines. After two days, Lillia's recovery was evident: she stopped coughing, regained color and even ran when she pleased. We were all extremely happy, but Trent was still cautious._

_After four days, however, we saw Lillia in the Clinic again. She had come without her husband's knowledge: the medicine had indeed had some after effects. Hours later, Lillia slipped into a sort of coma. By the next morning, Rod brought Popuri, exhibiting the same symptoms as Lillia hours before. Rod himself had to be committed the day that followed. _

_Over __the course of the week, Sasha, Saibara, Won, May, Aja, Manna, Mary and Karen were hospitalized as well. Trent was baffled: this was a virus he didn't recognize. He kept making calls left and right and enlisted Thomas' help in this. Shortly after, I'm sorry to tell you this, your grandma and Stu had to be hospitalized too. They are still stable as I write this. The situation was –and is—very serious. _

_As far as Trent knew, the virus is able either to put the patient in a coma or to kill him or her. Lillia, Won and Karen, your grandma and Stu are in coma. Popuri, Rod, Mary, May, Saibara and Sasha didn't make it. _

_Trent went to visit Rick to tell him the news and to give him some sedatives. Days later, Trent began exhibiting the same symptoms as Lillia. He gave me his notes and told me to write to you. He insisted that you were our best choice now that the town has been quarantined. No one is allowed in or out until the CDC comes and assesses the situation. However, it's been 2 months since Lillia's incident and 3 weeks since the police closed off the town. I firmly believe that they plan to leave us all here to die, but I won't go without a fight! _

…

_Trent went into coma a few hours ago along with Mayor Thomas. _

_Elli, I am scared. I have black bruises around my arms and neck. The same ones each patient has. I don't know if I'm gonna make it or not._

_Gray has offered to try to escape and reach Waffle Town. I hope this letter gets to you._

_Here I will attach Trent's most significant notes on Lillia and the others for you to examine. _

_Take care Ellz!_

_Claire_

**Dr. Trent's notes:**

'The virus L0001 remains unidentified still. Sent progress report to Doctor Sydney Kasal, director of Caduceus in Eastern City. Awaiting response.

Description:

-The virus in Lilliais capable of curing other diseases within the host. However, it spreads ruthlessly, attacking both healthy and infected cells after a short period of time.

-Apparently, the virus is not transmittable by air, but it is still not confirmed how it spreads.

-The virus evolves in two stages:

1st stage involves the cells fragmenting themselves, infecting the host. This stage cannot be confirmed by any means, making treatment virtually impossible. However, unexplained or abnormal tumor formations can act as an indicator for this stage. The tumor suppressant gene is inhibited at this stage, allowing these barely noticeable tumors to form. Then, the virus-infected cells replicate, forming unique, malignant tumors, generally on the outside of the organs.

Once the virus replicates itself enough, it then moves onto the 2nd stage. The virus, which was fragmented, merges together to recreate its full form. This form attaches to organs and blood vessels, forming colonies on the body. These colonies have a distinct, smooth, gem-like texture which are black, red and purple in color. A concentration of these colonies develop into bruise-like clusters forming on the exterior and interior of organs in the later part of this stage. Once a colony reaches a certain size, the tumor bursts, metastasizing and further infecting other parts of the body. This metastasis spreads the virus uncontrollably and indiscriminately, causing it to travel all over the body.

-The symptoms infamously attached to viral hemorrhagic fevers, which are bleeding of all pores and openings of the body, are caused in the 2nd stage. This mass infection, as well as the loss of organ control and vital signs that follow, ultimately kill the patient. It is stated that the patient will only last three days at most after the onset, since tumor/colony excision will no longer be of any help at this point. In other cases, the fever causes deep unconsciousness with no foreseeable time of awakening.

Treatment

Treatment methods vary in the stages of the viral infection, along with the methods and body areas involved.

Bruises: Treated with an antiviral drug. When the virus is first spotted, patients with the bruise will have no other wounds. These patients just need to have their vitals kept high, but they will convulse from time to time, with each convulsion causing a sharp drop in vitals.

Later on, the fever takes hold of the patient and leaves them in one of the two states mentioned: comatose or dead.

_Elli_

After I read Claire's letter, I ran to show it to Jin and Irene. Irene took out several charts and began scribbling away while Jin typed all the symptoms in the computer. I was told to check for bruises in both Luna and Gray's bodies. Gray struggled little: he didn't seem to care for much after he had accomplished his mission apparently. With Mary dead, I don't blame him.

Luna didn't have abnormal bruises, so I went to report both states to Jin. I found him speaking on the phone:

"Kirishima-sensei, are you sure about this?... …. How come it got there?... … Yes, I'll assemble a team and head there straight away… …. Yes, antiviral and surgery to remove the colonies… …. Do hurry then!"

Jin hung up the phone and turned to me, "Elli, call the Mayor and the elders to an emergency meeting in one hour!"

"Yes!"

I ran out of the Clinic with an ominous feeling.

….

By 5pm, after heavy investigation and insane string pulling, Mayor Hamilton was able to find out what happened in Mineral Town. Apparently, doctor Trent had followed the protocol for infectious diseases and warned the CDC in Eastern City about the outbreak of this virus. According to Naomi Kirishima, Jin's teacher, the virus infecting Mineral Town is a deadly one they found in the towns of the North, and one that had been controlled thanks to tremendous effort of scientists and doctors of an organization known as Caduceus.

"Then why aren't the authorities doing anything?" Simon asked worriedly.

Gill sighed and stood from the table in where we were all gathering. He approached the window: "It's election time in Eastern City. It would look bad for the current candidate to have a town in the countryside with an outbreak of this virus. It would only reinforce what the opposition has been denouncing about his negligence concerning the countryside's health care services."

"So… this is all about politics, huh?" Ramsey said while smiling ironically.

"But what will happen to Mineral Town?" I stood, knocking my chair over. My people were going to die just because of politicians and their affairs? I couldn't believe it! "There's no way they can keep something like this hidden!"

Jin negated with his head and asked me to sit again. Once I was, he spoke, "This virus is a very powerful one, created out of the body of a little girl many years ago. Kirishima-sensei herself was a carrier of this virus once, but she was lucky that an excellent surgeon was there to save her. The government of the Northern City decided to hide all this information because a former party member, Albert Sartre, had participated in the creation and eventual spreading of the disease. My point is that this incident is about 10 years old, and yet no one has heard about it. If the Eastern City wants to sacrifice Mineral Town for the sake of a political election, they will…"

Everyone sat silently, pondering Jin's words. How could there be people that did this kind of things? Politicians were supposed to fight and protect the people, not condemn them! The silence was broken, however, when Mayor Hamilton rose from his chair, catching our attention. He was smiling.

"Jin is right. But that doesn't mean we have to behave like those people, right?" the Mayor winked. We all looked at each other, equally puzzled.

He approached the window and placed his chubby arm around Gill: "I have been in Politics my whole life, and I can tell you people that I have met some very nasty individuals. But that hasn't stopped me from behaving as honestly as everyone expects of me. And I have met a lot of people that think the way I do, like Mayor Thomas."

"Do you know Mineral Town's mayor, Father?" Gill asked.

"We were classmates long ago. He had underhanded ways of doing things, but the best intentions at heart. I won't abandon my friend when his town is in need."

"But Mineral Town has been sealed off by the police, Hamilton!" Cain protested. "By the time you manage to convince your friends to reopen it, there will be no one to save!"

"Ha, ha, ha, Cain, my friend, who said I was going to convince someone?" the Mayor laughed merrily.

"Then what do you propose to do?" Jin asked politely.

The Mayor released Gill and moved behind my chair. Putting his hands on my shoulders, he proposed the craziest thing up until today:

"Let's break into Mineral Town!"

_To be continued…_


End file.
